BSZ3Z5 


,.(175?.. 

Division. 
Section, 
No, 


"Revelation  Explained." 


"  Breve  et  punctatim." 
"et  Multum  in  Parvo.' 
''et  Simpliciter." 


V 

BY  REV.  J.  M.  CONNELLY. 


E.    H.    GUSHING. 

1876. 


COPYBIOHT  BT  E.  H.  CUSHINO,    1876. 


PEEFAOE. 


Some  say  that  no  person  can  nnderstand  ^^  Keve- 
lation,"  but  this  is  absurd;  for  if  no  one  can 
nnderstand  it,  it  is  not  a  revelation  at  all,  bnt  a 
sealed  mystery,  falsely  labeled,  and  let  down  from 
heaven  to  tantalize  the  world ;  and  if  any  per- 
son is  ever  to  nnderstand  the  Apocalypse,  it  is 
high  time  we  knew  something  about  it  now ;  for 
it  was  written  nearly  eighteen  hundred  years  ago. 

As  the  Apocalypse  gives  a  symbolic  history  (in 
the  future)  of  the  leading  events  from  the  apos- 
tolic day  to  the  end  of  time,  I  have  felt  excited  to 
try  to  understand  these  events  in  their  natural 
order,  with  the  dates,  and  meaning  of  the  sym- 
bols. 

While  studying  Eevelation,  and  lecturing  on 
it  before  a  number  of  congregations,  I  got  an 
idea  of  its  entire  fulfillment,  sufficient  to  put 
my  own  mind  at  rest.  I  then  made  out  brief 
notes  on  it  all,  for  my  own  benefit ;  I  then 
thought  I  could  easily  enlarge  the  notes  into  a 


4  PREFACE. 

comment  and  it  would  be  a  particular  help  to 
students  of  the  Bible. 

I  have  aimed  at  clearness,  pointedness,  and 
simplicity,  omitting  superfluous  yerbiage,  opin- 
ions, quotations,  names,  etc.,  believing  that  the 
probable  idea  would  be  the  best  help  to  the 
reader  to  think  for  himself. 

I  have  heretofore  read  ^^  Newton,"  ^^Faber," 
"Scott,"  and  "Fleming  ;"  many  of  their  views 
satisfied  my  mind  so  well  that,  I  have  adopted 
them ;  for  a  truth  still  remains  a  truth,  no  mat- 
ter who  else  looks  at  it. 

As  to  the  more  recent  writers  and  speakers  on 
Eevelation,  I  so  strongly  suspected  them  of  en- 
thusiasm (not  to  say  fanaticism),  that  they  soon 
discouraged  me,  and  I  quit  them.  I  believe  I 
have  the  true  meaning  of  the  symbols,  and  of 
all  the  great  events,  and  of  most  of  the  dates, 
or  times  of  the  fulfillment  of  the  events,  and 
where  there  may  be  an  inaccuracy  in  the  dates, 
they  strike  in  the  neighborhood  of  accuracy, 
and  so  our  minds  can  rest  here,  and  time  and 
observation  do  the  rest,  for  we  have  no  prophets 
in  this  age  of  the  world. 

J.  M.  Connelly. 


THE 


Revelation  of  St.  John. 


CHAPTEE  I. 


1.  The  ReYelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  God 
gave  unto  him,  to  show  unto  his  servants  things 
which  must  shortly  come  to  pass;  and  he  sent 
and  signified  it  by  his  angel  unto  his  servant 
John. 

In  old  age,  after  much  self-sacrifice,  trouble, 
labor,  and  persecution,  the  Apostle  John  was 
banished  to  the  Isle  of  Patmos.  This  put  him 
in  a  suitable  frame  of  mind  to  receive  the  last 
part  of  the  revealed  will  of  God  to  man.  The 
same  angel,  probably  of  a  very  high  order,  is 
employed  by  our  Saviour  throughout  the  Apoca- 
lypse or  Revelation.  Any  and  every  thing  was 
not  revealed  to  Christ,  as  ^^that  prophet  that 
should  come  into  the  world"  (Mark,  xiii.  32), 


6  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

but  only  those  things  which  pertain  to  the  sal- 
vation of  man. 

This  book  reveals  the  leading  events  from  the 
apostolic  day  to  the  end  of  time,  as  connected 
with  the  Church. 

2.  Who  bare  record  of  the  Word  of  God,  and 
of  the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  all 
things  that  he  saw. 

John,  the  only  surviving  apostle,  carries  this 
last  message  of  Christ  to  his  church,  and  tes- 
tifies to  the  truth  of  it,  and  all  things  else  that 
he  saw. 

3.  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth,  and  they  that 
hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy,  and  keep  those 
things  which  are  written  therein,  for  the  time  is 
at  hand. 

The  Apostle  pronounces  a  blessing  on  all  who 
read,  hear,  and  obey  this  heavenly  message ;  for 
that  is  the  way  to  avail  ourselves  of  its  spiritual 
benefit,  and  lead  others  to  do  the  same  :  for  the 
time  was  at  hand  when  they  would  begin  to  be 
fulfilled,  and  their  fulfillment  would  prove  the 
truth  of  them,  as  prophecy  is  a  most  incontro- 


THE    BEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  7 

vertible  argument  against  infidelity.  As  all  time, 
compared  with  eternity,  is  as  nothing,  the  whole 
book  will  soon  be  fulfilled.     See  verse  1. 

4.  John  to  the  seven  churches  which  are  in 
Asia :  Grace  be  unto  you  and  peace  from  him 
which  is,  and  which  was,  and  from  him  which  is 
to  come ;  and  from  the  seven  spirits  which  are 
before  his  throne. 

John,  as  the  bearer  of  this  heavenly  message, 
prefixes  his  name  to  it ;  it  is  sent  to  the  seven 
churches  in  Asia,  i.  e.,  Asia  Minor,  or  the  west- 
ern part  of  the  whole  division  of  Asia.  The 
Apostle  also  opens  his  message  with  the  apos- 
tolic benediction,  praying  for  grace  and  inward 
peace  to  these  churches ;  and  these  gifts  he 
asks  from  the  self-existent  and  eternal  God,  the 
Father,  the  first  person  of  the  Triune  God,  who 
is,  was,  and  is  to  come  ;  and  from  the  seven  spir- 
its, i.  e.,  the  Holy  Ghost.  Seven  is  a  round  num- 
ber, as  the  seven  days  of  the  week;  hence  it 
denotes  perfection.  This  grace  and  peace  are 
asked  anoo  (from)  rov  (him)  'o  ov  (who  is), 
Kai  (and)  'o  sv  (who  was),  icai  (and)  'o 
epxi^ofj-eroa  (who  is  to  come).  The  definite 
article   is  here  used    instead   of  the   pronoun, 


8  THE    KEVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

and  the  particij)le  of  tlie  yerb,  in  tlie  first 
and  last  clauses;  and  Greek  scholars  can  see 
the  full  force  of  this  rare  sentence,  which,  per- 
haps, refers  to  what  the  Lord  said  of  himself 
at  the  burning  bush  (Ex.  iii.  14,  and  John,  yiii 
56,  58). 

5.  And  from  Jesus  Christ  who  is  the  faithful 
witness,  and  the  first  begotten  of  the  dead,  and 
the  prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  unto  him 
that  loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his 
own  blood. 

The  Apostle,  next,  asks  grace  and  peace  from 
Jesus  Christ,  the  second  person  of  the  Trinity, 
who  is  also  the  true  and  faithful  witness  of 
God's  eternal  truth,  and  the  first  begotten  (or 
risen)  from  the  dead  to  die  no  more  ;  he  is  also 
the  prince  of  the  kings  of  the  earth,  because 
all  things,  secular  as  well  as  spiritual,  in  this 
world,  are  delegated  to  Christ,  until  the  general 
judgment  is  concluded.  He  will  then  deliver 
up  the  mediatorial  kingdom  to  the  Father,  that 
God  may  be  all  in  all ;  but  the  Saviour's  glorified 
human  nature  will  always  remain  as  the  connect- 
ing link  between  Deity  and  the  redeemed  of 
mankind.     The  Saviour  loved  us  all  who  will 


THE   REVELATION    OF   ST.  JOHN.  9 

e^er  taste  the  joys  of  heayen,  with  beneTolence, 
and  gave  all  the  rest  a  free  offer  of  salvation, 
and  washed  us  from  our  sins,  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
applpng  the  Word  of  God  to  our  consciences 
and  understandings;  and  all  this  by  virtue  of 
his  atonement  on  the  cross,  when  he  shed  his 
blood  for  us. 

6.  And  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  to  God 
and  his  Father ;  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion, 
forever  and  ever.     Amen. 

The  Apostle  further  describes  the  Saviour  by 
telling  us,  pious  persons,  that  he,  the  Saviour, 
hath  made  us  kings  to  reign  with  and  under 
Christ,  and  priests  to  offer  unto  God  "thanksgiv- 
ing and  adoration  for  our  salvation  by  grace,  and 
to  God  and  his  (the  Saviour's)  Father  be  (divine) 
glory  and  dominion,  or  rule,  forever  and  ever ; 
this  repetition  of  the  word  ever  adds  intensity 
to  the  idea  of  eternity,  all  of  which  John  seals 
with  his  Amen. 

7.  Behold,  he  cometh  with  clouds,  and  every 
eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also  which  pierced 
him  ;  and  all  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall  wail 
because  of  him.     Even  so.     Amen. 


10  THE  REVELATION  OF    ST.    JOHN. 

The  Apostle  here  looks  forward  to  the  second 
coming  of  Christ,  at  the  end  of  time,  when  he 
shall  haye  moved  from  the  mediatorial  throne  to 
the  throne  of  his  judgment.  The  intervening 
time  will  so  soon  and  imperceptibly  pass  away, 
that  it  is  said,  '^He  cometh,"  and  every  eye  of 
both  the  liying  and  dead  (resurrected)  shall  see 
him  in  his  infinite  majesty,  holiness,  and  jus- 
tice ;  and  all  (wicked)  kindreds  of  the  earth  shall 
wail  because  of  him,  executing  justice  on  his 
enemies.  What  will  be  the  appearance  of  the 
chief  priests,  Judas,  Herod,  Pontius  Pilate,  etc., 
etc.,  when  they  see  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus, 
whom  they  insulted  and  murdered,  on  the  throne 
of  his  judgment  ?  To  all  of  which  the  Apostle 
adds,   "Even  so.     Amen." 

8.  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and 
the  ending,  saith  the  Lord,  which  is,  and  which 
was,  and  which  is  to  come,  the  Almighty. 

The  Saviour  says  he  is  Alpha  and  Omega, 
which  are  the  J&rst  and  last  letters  of  the  Greek 
alphabet,  denoting  the  eternity  of  Christ.  He  is 
also  the  beginning  and  ending  of  all  things,  and 
the  author  and  finisher  of  our  salvation ;  also  of 
creation  and  j^rovidence,  as  well  as  redemption ; 


THE    REVELATION    OF   ST.  JOHN.  H 

also  the  Almighty,  saith  the  Lord,  which  is, 
was,  and  is  to  come,  i.  e.,  from  eternity  to  eter- 
nity. This  is  the  strongest  language  that  could 
be  used  to  denote  the  Divinity  of  the  Son,  as 
one  with  the  Father  and  Holy  Spirit. 

9.  I,  John,  who  also  am  your  brother  and 
companion  in  tribulation,  and  in  the  kingdom 
and  patience  of  Jesus  Christ,  was  in  the  isle  that 
is  called  Patmos,  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for 
the  testimony  of  Jesus  Christ. 

John  here  calls  himself  the  brother  and  com- 
panion of  all  Christians,  for  the  other  apostles 
were  dead ;  and  in  tribulations  and  persecutions, 
for  the  whole  world  was  opposed  to  Christians; 
and  in  building  up  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
i.  e.,  the  Church;  and  in  patience,  suffering  for 
Christ's  sake;  was  banished,  or  imprisoned  in 
Patmos,  for  preaching  the  word  of  God,  and 
testifying  to  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Son  of  God 
and  Saviour  of  the  world. 

10.  I  was  in  the  spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,  and 
heard  behind  me  a  great  voice  as  of  a  trumpet. 

John  was  in  or  under  the  influence   of  the 


12  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

spirit;  his  senses  being  locked  up  as  to  what 
was  going  on  in  this  world,  while  his  attention 
was  drawn  out  fully  to  heavenly  things ;  and  on 
the  Lord's  day,  the  day  of  the  week  on  which 
the  Lord  Jesus  rose  from  the  dead ;  hence,  the 
Christian  Sabbath  commemorates  the  new  crea- 
tion, or  moral  renovation  of  depraved  human 
nature.  The  apostle  heard  behind  him  a  great 
voice  as  of  a  trumpet,  which  was  the  Saviour 
speaking  to  him. 

11.  Saying,  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first 
and  the  last;  and  ^^hat  thou  seest  write  in  a 
book,  and  send  it  unto  the  seven  churches 
which  are  in  Asia,  unto  Ephesus,  and  unto 
Smyrna,  unto  Pergamos,  and  unto  Thyatira, 
and  unto  Sardis,  and  unto  Philadelphia,  and 
unto  Laodicea. 

The  Saviour  gave  John  the  same  information 
concerning  his  divine  attributes  as  occurs  in 
several  other  passages  in  this  book ;  and  bid 
him  write  what  he  saw,  and  send  it  to  the 
seven  churches  in  Asia,  mentioning  the  name 
of  each  one. 

12.  And  I  turned  to  see  the  voice  that  spake 


THE   REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOIIX.  13 

•with  me.    And  being  turned,  I  saw  seven  golden 
candlesticks. 

As  soon  as  the  apostle  turned  and  looked,  he 
saw  seyen  golden  candlesticks,  which  were  an 
emblem  of  the  seven  churches  in  Asia  Minor. 

13.  And  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  candle- 
sticks, one  like  unto  the  son  of  man,  clothed 
with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about 
the  paps  with  a  golden  girdle. 

In  the  midst  of  the  emblem  of  the  seven 
churches,  John  saw  one  like  unto  the  meek  and 
lowly  Jesus ;  but  being  now  glorified,  the  apostle 
could  barely  identify  him ;  he  was  clothed  with 
the  attire  of  a  priest,  and  superintending  his 
Church. 

14.  His  head  and  his  hair  were  white  like 
wool,  as  white  as  snow;  and  his  eyes  were  as 
a  flame  of  fire. 

His  head  and  hair  white  like  snow  denoted 
his  infinite  purity  and  majesty,  calling  for  our 
utmost  veneration;  and  His  eyes  like  a  flame 
denoted  his  omniscience  detecting  everything 
that  was  wrong  in  his  Church. 


14  THE   REVELATION   OF   ST.  JOHN. 

15.  And  his  feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if 
they  burned  in  a  furnace;  and  bis  voice  as  the 
sound  of  many  waters. 

His  feet  like  fine  brass,  denote  his  divine 
firmness ;  his  voice  like  the  sound  of  many 
waters,  denoted  his  divine  majesty  arid  effi- 
ciency in  all  he  said. 

-  16.  And  had  in  his  right  hand  seven  stars ; 
and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a  sharp  two-edged 
sword ;  and  his  countenance  was  as  the  sun 
shineth  in  his  strength. 

The  seven  stars  were  an  emblem  of  the  pas- 
tors of  the  seven  churches ;  and  they  being  in 
the  Saviour's  right  hand,  denotes  his  sovereign 
care  over  all  his  ministers ;  and  the  sharp  two- 
edged  sword  going  out  of  his  mouth,  denotes 
the  divine  efficacy  of  all  his  decisions ;  and  his 
countenance  like  the  sun,  denotes  his  divine 
glory  in  his  state  of  exaltation. 

17.  And  when  I  saw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet 
as  dead.  And  he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me, 
saying  unto  me,  Fear  not ;  I  am  the  First  and 
the  Last. 


THE    REVELATION   OF   ST.  JOHN^.  15 

The  effect  of  our  Saviour's  appearance,  in  liis 
state  of  exaltation,  on  the  apostle  John,  suggests 
the  infinite  difference  between  it  and  his  state 
of  humiliation  when  John  was  familiar  with 
him  on  earth. 

18.  I  am  he  that  liveth  and  was  dead ;  and 
behold,  I  am  alive  for  evermore.  Amen;  and  have 
the  keys  of  hell  and  of  death: 

Our  Saviour  informs  the  apostle  John  that 
he  had  risen  from  the  dead,  to  die  no  more; 
and  that  he  had  the  keys  of  hell,  the  state  of 
the  dead,  and  of  death,  the  separation  of  soul 
and  body ;  to  all  this,  John  adds  his  Amen. 

19.  Write  the  things  which  thou  hast  seen, 
and  the  things  which  are,  and  the  things  which 
shall  be  hereafter. 

The  Saviour  commands  the  apostle  to  write 
the  things  that  he  had  seen,  viz.,  this  vision ; 
and  the  things  that  are,  viz. :  the  moral  state  of 
the  seven  churches,  as  described  in  the  next 
chapters  ;  and  the  things  which  shall  be  here- 
after, viz.,  the  prophetic  part  of  Eevelation, 
which  begins  with  the  fourth  chapter. 


16 


THE    KBVELATION    OF   ST.  JOHN. 


20.  Tlie  mystery  of  the  seyen  stars  which 
thou  sawest  in  my  right  hand,  and  the  seven 
golden  candlesticks.  The  seyen  stars  are  the 
angels  of  the  seyen  churches;  and  the  seyen  can- 
dlesticks which  thou  sawest  are  the  seyen 
churches. 

The  Sayiour  himself  explains  this  yerse. 


THE  BEVELATION   OP   ST.  JOHN.  17 


CHAPTER  11. 

1.  Unto  the  angel  of  the  Church  of  Ephesus 
write :  These  things  saith  he  that  holdeth  the 
seven  stars  in  his  right  hand,  who  walketh  in 
the  midst  of  the  seven  golden  candlesticks. 

Unto  the  angel,  i.  e.,  messenger,  sent  by  God's 
23rovidence  and  grace  to  be  the  pastor,  or  parish, 
or  parochial  bishop  of  the  Church  at  Ephesus, 
the  Saviour  directs  the  apostle  to  write  ;  and  the 
epistle  describes  the  spiritual  condition  of  this 
church ;  and  so  with  all  the  others.  I  call  the 
angel  of  the  church  a  parish  bishop,  because  the 
whole  sevfen  churches  might  be  embraced  in  one 
see,  suitable  for  a  diocesan  or  prelatic  bishop. 
Bishop  is  a  corruption  of  the  Greek  word  Epis- 
copos,  and  literally  means  an  overseer,  i.  e.,  of 
a  spiritual  flock ;  like  a  shepherd  oversees  his 
flock  of  sheep.  These  seven  churches  lay,  some- 
what, in  a  circular  form,  and  about  a  day's  ride 
apart ;  hence,  I  infer,  that  there  were  none  but 
parish  or  parochial  bishops  in  the  apostolic  day. 


18  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

'Next,  the  Sayiour  informs  the  apostle  that  he 
walks  in  the  midst  of  his  churches,  as  the  owner 
and  superintendent ;  and  holds  all  his  ministers 
under  his  control,  and  accountable  to  him. 

2.  I  know  thy  works,  and  thy  labor,  and 
thy  patience,  and  how  thou  canst  not  bear 
them  which  are  evil ;  and  thou  has  tried  them 
which  say  they  are  apostles,  and  are  not;  and 
hast  found  them  liars. 

Our  Saviour  knew  the  works,  or  Christian 
deportment,  of  his  church  at  Ephesus ;  also 
their  labor  of  love  to  God  and  man ;  also  their 
patience  in  enduring,  and  other  troubles ;  also 
their  detestation  of  the  character  and  conduct  of 
the  evil,  or  wicked,  among  them ;  also  their 
fidelity  in  testing  and  detecting  false  apostles. 
Some  human  beings  have  always  gotten  up  a 
counterfeit  wherever  there  is  a  genuine. 

3.  And  hast  borne,  and  hast  patience,  and  for 
my  name's  sake  hast  labored,  and  hast  not 
fainted. 

The  Saviour  also  gives  this  Church  credit  for 
bearing  u])  under  trials  and  troubles ;  also  for 
patience  in  the  midst  of  cares,  troubles,  and 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  19 

afflictions  ;  also  through  love  to  the  Saviour's 
name,  they  had  labored,  or  struggled,  and  not 
fallen  into  despondency. 

4.  Nevertheless,  I  have  somewhat  against 
thee,  because  thou  hast  left  thy  first  love. 

After  our  Savior  had  given  full  credit  to  this 
Church  for  all  its  virtues,  he  brings  up  the 
debtor,  viz.,  they  had  left  their  first  love.  The 
first  spiritual  affections  and  emotions  in  the 
Christian  heart  are  vivid,  and  ought  to  be  culti- 
vated and  not  neglected. 

5.  Eemember,  therefore,  from  whence  thou 
art  fallen,  and  repent  and  do  thy  first  works; 
or  else  I  will  come  unto  thee  quickly,  and  will 
remove  thy  candlestick  out  of  his  place,  except 
thou  repent. 

The  Saviour  here  mentions  the  cure  for  all 
backslidings  :  repent,  view  your  past  misconduct 
as  odious  in  the  sight  of  God,  as  well  as  ruinous 
to  the  transgressor;  and  turn  from  your  evil 
ways  to  God,  resigned  and  determined  to  obey 
and  love  him,  as  you  did  when  you  were  con- 
verted. And  unless  this  church  so  repented 
and  reformed,  the  Saviour  would  come  and  re- 


20  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

move  their  candlestick,  i.  e.,  take  away  theii 
church  privileges.  They  did  not  repent,  and 
soon  this  threat  was  executed. 

6.  But  this  thou  hast,  that  hatest  the  deeds 
of  the  Nicolaitanes,  which  I  also  hate. 

The  Saviour  and  this  church  hated  the  deeds 
of  the  Nicolaitanes,  who  are  generally  thought 
to  have  been  Antinomians,  from  anti,  against, 
and  nomus,  a  law.  They  pretended  that  as  we 
are  saved  by  faith,  we  need  not  regard  the  moral 
law  ;  hence,  they  would  wallow  in  sin,  under  a 
pretense  of  salvation  by  faith  :  whereas  obedience 
to  the  moral  law,  i.  e.,  the  Ten  Commandments, 
is  the  natural  effect  of  faith.  The  moral  lav7  is 
our  rule  of  action,  although  it  is  not  the  condi- 
tion on  which  we  are  saved  ;  but  faith  is.  It  is 
not  known  when,  or  by  whom,  the  Nicolaitanes 
commenced  ;  but  their  name  is  derived  from 
nico,  to  conquer,  and  laos,  the  people ;  like 
Balaam,  in  Hebrew,  JVicolas,  the  deacon,  could 
hardly  be  suspected. 

7.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches  :  To  him 
that  overcometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  21 

life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of 
God. 

The  Saviour  suggests  that  the  most  important 
thing  that  mortal  man  could  hear  and  obey  is 
these  Gospel  messages;  and  to  him  that  over- 
comes the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  by 
faith,  he  will  give  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  life,  which 
is  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God,  i.  el,  end- 
less existence  in  perfect  happiness;  like  the  tree 
of  life  sealed  to  Adam  in  the  earthly  paradise, 
while  Adam  was  obedient  to  the  covenant  of 
works. 


8.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in 
Smyrna,  write :  These  things  saith  the  First 
and  the  Last,  which  was  dead  and  is  alive. 

The  Saviour  sends  this  letter  to  the  angel,  or 
pastor,  of  the  church  in  Smyrna,  reminding  them 
that  he  is  the  eternal  Saviour  who  atoned  for 
sin  in  human  nature. 

9.  I  Know  thy  works,  and  tribulation,  and 
poverty  (but  thou  art  rich) ;  and  I  know  the 
blasphemy  of  them  which  say  they  are  Jews, 
and  are  not,  but  are  the  synagogue  of  Satan. 


22  THE    REVELATION  OF    ST.  JOHN. 

The  Saviour  tells  this  church  he  knows  their 
Christian  deportment,  and  trouble,  and  earthly 
poverty ;  but  spiritually  they  were  rich ;  and  he 
also  knew  the  blasphemy,  against  Christ  and  his 
Gospel,  of  those  who  called  themselves  Jews,  the 
peculiar  people  and  servants  of  God,  and  were 
not;  but  were  the  synagogue,  or  church  of 
Satan.  These  Jews  still  clung  to  the  shadows  of 
the  Old  Testament,  and  opposed  Christ  and  the 
New  Testament,  which  were  the  substance. 

10.  Fear  none  of  those  things  which  thou 
shalt  suffer :  behold,  the  devil  shall  cast  some 
of  you  into  prison,  that  ye  may  be  tried ;  and  ye 
shall  have  tribulation  ten  days :  be  thou  faith- 
ful unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of 
life. 

Our  Saviour  here  braces  up  the  faith  of  this 
church  for  a  persecution  which  was  soon  to  take 
place;  and  tells  them  that  the  devil,  through 
his  earthly  agents  and  instruments,  would  cast 
some  of  them  into  prison;  but  this  would  be 
sanctified  to  their  spiritual  refinement  and  fit- 
ness for  a  high  place  in  heaven;  and  this  tribu- 
lation would  continue  ten  (prophetic)  days,  i.  e., 
ten  years,  which  was  just  the  length  of  Domi- 
tian's  persecution. 


THE    REVELATION    OP    ST.  JOHN.  23 

11.  He  that  liatli  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches :  He  that 
overcometh  shall  not  be  hurt  of  the  second 
fleath. 

The  Saviour  again  admonishes  all,  patheti- 
cally, to  attend  to  him,  as  the  author  of  eternal 
felicity ;  and  if  they  do  this,  they  shall  not  be 
hurt  by  the  second  death,  i.  e.,  hell.  This 
church  has  more  Christians  in  it  yet,  than  any 
church  in  that  part  of  the  world ;  so  their  can- 
dlestick has  not  been  removed  entirely. 

12.  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Per- 
gamos,  write  :  These  things  saith  he  which  hath 
the  sharp  sword  with  two  edges. 

This  epistle  is  sent  to  the  pastor  of  the  church 
at  Pergamos,  and  he  is  reminded  of  the  Saviour's 
sharp  two-edged  sword;  which  intimates  that 
there  were  many  wicked  there  fit  for  Divine  dis- 
pleasure. 

13.  I  know  thy  works,  and  where  thou 
dwellest,  even  where  Satan's  seat  is ;  and  thou 
boldest  fast  my  name,  and  hast  not  denied  my 
faith,  even  in  those  days  wherein  Antipas  was 
my  faithful  martyr,  who  was  slain  among  you, 
where  Satan  dwelleth. 


34  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

The  Sayiour  tells  this  church  that  he  is  ac- 
quainted with  all  their  Christian  deportment, 
and  that  they  lived  where  Satan  has  his  seat,  as 
a  capitol  or  metropolis  of  sin,  and  that  they  had 
not  denied  him  for  fear  of  being  persecuted, 
even  in  the  days  of  Antipas — some  eminent, 
pious  martjrr  who  was  murdered  among  them, 
when  all  the  church  was  in  great  danger  of  the 
same  cruelty. 


14.  But  I  have  a  few  things  against  thee,  be- 
cause thou  hast  there  them  that  hold  the  doc- 
trine of  Balaam,  who  taught  Balak  to  cast  a 
stumbling-block  before  the  children  of  Israel,  to 
eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols,  and  to  commit 
fornication. 

The  Saviour  here  shows  how  bad  some  of  the 
church-members  were,  although  others  were  very 
good.  Balaam  taught  Balak  to  send  the  Moab- 
itish  women  among  the  Israelites  and  entice  them 
to  eat  their  heathen  sacrifices,  and  commit  forni- 
cation with  them,  and  this  would  bring  the  curse 
of  God  upon  the  Israelites,  and  for  this  service 
Balaam  was  to  get  a  great  reward ;  but  he  lost 
his  life  among  the  transgressors  :  and  there  were 
some  such  idolatrous  and  adulterous  members  in 


THE    REYELATION    OF   ST.   JOHX.  25 

this  church,  and  the  Saviour  required  the  church 
to  purify  itself  from  them. 

1 5.  So  hast  thou  also  them  that  hold  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Nicolaitanes,  which  thing  I  hate. 

There  were  Antinomians  also  in  this  church. 
(See  V.  6.)  Heresy,  i-dolatry,  fornication  and 
persecution,  are  four  of  Satan's  main  engines  to 
ruin  the  church,  and  he  had  them  all  at  work  in 
Pergamos. 

16.  Eepent,  or  else  I  will  come  unto  thee 
quickly,  and  I  will  fight  against  them  with  the 
sword  of  my  mouth. 

Unless  this  church  reclaimed  its  bad  member- 
ship immediately,  our  Lord  said  he  would  pass 
final  sentence  on  them  and  execute  it ;  the  church 
must  also  renew  its  vigilance  and  holy  zeal. 

17.  He  that  hath  an -ear  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches ;  To  him  that  over- 
cometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna, 
and  will  give  him  a  white  stone,  and  in  the  stone 
a  new  name  written,  which  no  man  knoweth, 
saving  him  that  receiveth  it. 


26  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

Tlie  Lord  Jesus  admonislies  this  cliurcli  also 
to  listen  to  this  Gospel  message,  if  they  are  capa- 
ble of  hearing  anything,,  and  to  him  that  over- 
comes the  world  by  faith  he  will  give  to  eat  hid- 
den manna,  which  means  salvation,  as  manna  was 
a  type  of  Christ ;  he  will  also  give  a  white  stone, 
which  means  justification,  as  the  ancient  judges 
voted  over  the  life  of  a  criminal  with  white  and 
black  stones ;  and  in  the  stone  a  new  name,  viz.. 
Christian ;  and  no  person  can  realize  the  heav- 
enly nature  of  the  Christian  religion,  unless  he 
possesses  it. 

18.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Thy- 
atira  write  :  These  things  saith  the  Son  of  God, 
who  hath  his  eyes  like  unto  a  flame  of  fire,  and 
his  feet  are  like  fine  brass. 

In  this  epistle  to  the  pastor  and  church  at 
Thayta,  our  Saviour  sirremind  them  that  he  is 
the  Son  of  God  and  head  of  the  church  ;  he  also 
suggests  his  omniscience,  holiness,  and  justice, 
by  the  i)hi*ase  "His  eyes  like  a  flame  of  fire;" 
while  "  his  feet  like  fine  brass  "  denotes  his  divine 
firmness  in  rewarding  his  faithful  servants,  while 
he  executes  vengeance  on  the  impenitent. 

19.  I  know  thy  works,  and  charit}^,  and  ser- 


THE    EEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHX.  27 

yice,  and  faith,  and  thy  patience,  and  thy  works, 
and  the  last  to  be  more  than  the  first. 

The  omniscient,  omnipotent,  divine  Eedeemer 
was  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  good  works  of 
this  church,  and  their  charity  or  love  to  Grod  and 
man,  and  service  in  honoring  Christ  and  promo- 
ting his  cause  on  earth ;  faith  in  Jesus  as  the 
only  Saviour,  patience  in  well-doing  and  works 
for  Christ's  sake,  and  their  last  efforts  for  the 
prosperity  of  the  church  to  exceed  the  first.  The 
Saviour  always  gives  full  credit  for  all  our  good 
deeds  and  then  brings  up  the  debtor  ;  this  is  an 
example  for  us  to  imitate. 

I 

20.    ]N"otwithstanding,    I   have   a  few  things 

against  thee,  because  thou  sufferest  that  woman 
Jezebel,  which  calleth  herself  a  prophetess,  to 
teach  and  seduce  my  servants  to  commit  forni- 
cation, and  to  eat  things  sacrificed  unto  idols. 

After  all  the  good  things  in  this  church,  the 
Lord  Jesus  notices  one  horrible,  wicked  circum- 
stance, viz.,  that  woman  Jezebel,  which  means  a 
class  of  idolaters,  like  Jezebel  the  Zidonian  wife 
of  Ahab,  which  he  married  contrary  to  the  laws 
of  G-od.  When  she  came  to  Israel,  as  queen,  she 
strove  to  draw  all  Israel  over  to  the  Zidonian 


28  THE    KEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

idolatry,  in  which  the  leaders  seasoned  their 
idolatry  to  the  carnal  palates  of  depraved  human 
nature,  by  connecting  fornication  with  it ;  and 
there  were  just  such  wretches  among  the  good 
church-members  in  Thyatira. 

21.  And  I  gave  her  space  to  repent  of  her  for- 
nication, and  she  repented  not. 

Before  our  Saviour  executes  vengeance  he 
gives  space  for  repentance,  but  the  wicked  con- 
strue his  mercy  and  patience  into  forgetfulness, 
or  something  else,  and  usually  go  on  in  sin  and 
perish. 

22.  Behold,  I  will  cast  her  into  a  bed,  and 
them  that  commit  adultery  with  her  into  great 
tribulation,  except  they  repent  of  their  deeds. 

Unless  these  idolaters  and  adulterers  speedily 
repented,  our  Saviour  would  cast  their  seducers 
into  a  bed  of  loathsome  and  fatal  sickness,  and 
the  seduced  into  great  tribulation,  some  fatal 
anguish  and  despair. 

23.  And  I  will  kill  her  children  with  death, 
and  all  the  churches  shall  know  that  I  am  he 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  29 

which  searcheth  the  reins  and  hearts,  and  I  will 
give  unto  every  one  of  you  according  to  your 
works. 

The  Saviour  would  kill  her  children,  i.  e. ,  the 
proselytes  of  these  idolatrous  fornicators,  with 
death,  i.  e.,  some  dreadful  plague,  so  called  in 
ancient  times  ;  so  all  the  churches  should  know 
that  the  Saviour  searches  the  reins,  which  the 
ancients  thought  were  the  seat  of  the  affections  ; 
and  hearts,  in  which  lie  the  principle  of  action. 
The  affections  greatly  control  the  will,  and  the 
Saviour  assures  us  that  he  will  reward  us  accord- 
ing to  our  works.  We  all  feel  and  know  that 
we  are  free  agents,  hence  lost  souls  will  always 
realize  that  they  are  lost  by  their  own  fault. 

24.  But  unto  you  I  say,  and  unto  the  rest  in 
Thyatira,  as  many  as  have  not  this  doctrine,  and 
which  have  not  known  the  depths  of  Satan,  as 
they  speak ;  I  will  put  upon  you  none  other  burden 

Our  Saviour  would  put  no  other  burden  on 
any  who  had  not  stained  their  moral  character 
with  this  idolatry  and  impurity,  which  these 
wretches  called  the  depths  of  Satan.  The  idea 
of  depth  is  mysterious  and  marvelous,  and  has  a 
wonderful  winning  influence   on  giddy,  empty 


30  THE    KEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

heads  ;  and  there  has  always  been,  in  all  coun- 
tries, classes,  and  societies  that  manipulated  this 
soft  spot. 

25.  But  that  which  ye  have  already,  hold  fast 
till  I  come. 

The  Saviour  tells  them,  that  piety  and  gospel 
which  they  have,  hold  fast  till  he  comes,  at 
death,  to  release  them. 

26.  And  he  that  overcometh,  and  keepeth  my 
works  unto  the  end,  to  him  will  I  give  power 
over  the  nations. 

Our  Saviour  will  give  power  and  privilege  to 
him  that  overcomes  the  world,  and  keeps  his 
works  of  rigltteousness  unto  the  end  of  life,  to 
reign  with  him  as  his  assessor  and  concur  in  his 
final  sentence  on  all  the  wicked,  and  justification 
on  the  righteous. 

27.  (And  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of 
iron  ;  as  the  vessels  of  a  potter  shall  they  be  bro- 
ken to  shivers  :)  even  as  I  received  of  my  Father. 

The  wicked  shall  be  finally  ruined,  at  the  last 
day,  as  a  potter's  vessel  may  be  ruined  with  a 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  31 

rod  of  iron;  and  to  this  end  lie  received  his  dele- 
gated authority  from  the  Father,  using  his 
saints  as  his  officers. 

28.  And  I  will  give  him  the  morning  star. 

As  the  morning  star  introduces  day,  so  does 
grace  introduce  heaven. 

29.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches. 

This  momentous  injunction  is   so  emphatic, 
that  it  needs  no  explanation. 


32  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 


CHAPTEE  III. 

1.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Sar- 
dis,  write  :  These  things  saith  he  that  hath  the 
seven  spirits  of  God,  and  the  seven  stars ;  I  know 
thy  works,  that  thou  hast  a  name,  that  thou 
livest  and  art  dead. 

This  letter  is  directed  to  the  pastor  of  the 
church  in  Sardis,  by  him  who  hath  the  seven 
spirits  of  God  ;  for,  when  our  Saviour  ascended, 
he  sent  back  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  proceeds  from  the  Father  and  the  Son. 
The  Lord  Jesus  also  ^^hath  the  seven  stars,"  not 
only  the  ministers  of  these  seven  churches,  but 
all  others.  The  Saviour  tells  them  that  he 
knows  their  Christian  character  and  perform- 
ance, and  sees  all  their  inward  and  outward 
deficiency;  and  that  they  had  a  name  to  live, 
or,  be  spiritually  alive  to  Christ  and  Christianity, 
but  were  morally  dead,  i.  e.,  many  destitute  of 
piety  and  nearly  all  the  rest  cold  and  formal. 


2.   Be  watchful  and  strengthen  the  things 


THE   REVELATION   OF    ST.  JOHN.  33 

whicli  remain,  that  are  ready  to  die,  for  I  have 
not  found  thy  works  perfect  before  God. 

Be  watchful  against  hypocrites  and  cold- 
hearted  formality,  and  strengthen  the  energies 
and  fervor  of  the  few  pious  members  that  re- 
main; for  the  Saviour  had  not  found  their  faith 
and  works  such  as  they  ought  to  be  before  God. 

.  3.  Kemember  therefore  how  thou  hast  re- 
ceived and  heard,  and  hold  fast,  and  repent.  If, 
therefore,  thou  shalt  not  watch,  I  will  come  on 
thee  as  a  thief,  and  thou  shalt  not  know  what 
hour  I  will  come  upon  thee. 

Our  Saviour  commands  the  only  remedy  for 
this  dwindling  church,  viz.,  a  proper  use  of  the 
grace,  knowledge  and  providential  opportunities 
which  God  had  bestowed  on  them;  they  must 
cleave  to  these  and  repent  of  their  past  delin- 
quency, and,  unless  they  did  this,  the  Saviour 
would  come  upon  them  by  some  disaster,  in  a 
way  and  at  a  time  least  expected.  They  did  not 
rightly  use  the  warning,  and  now  there  is  nei- 
ther pastor  nor  congregation  there,  and  scarcely 
the  name  of  a  Christian. 

4.  Thou  hast  a  few  names  even  in  Sardis  which 


34  THE    KEVELATION    OF   ST.  JOHN. 

have  not  defiled  their  garments,  and  they  shall 
walk  with  me  in  white,  for  they  are  worthy. 

Bad  as  this  church  was,  there  were  a  few  de- 
voted Christians  there;  and  they  should  walk 
with  Christ  in  white,  which  was  the  emblem  of 
Christ's  righteousness,  for  they  were  worthy  of 
this  reward. 

5.  He  that  overcometh,  the  same  shall  be 
clothed  in  white  raiment;  and  I  will  not  blot  out 
his  name  out  of  the  book  of  life ;  but  I  will  con- 
fess his  name  before  my  Father,  and  before  his 
angels. 

He  that  overcomes  the  world  by  faith  shall  be 
clothed  in  the  white  raiment  of  Christ's  right- 
eousness ;  and  the  Saviour  will  not  blot  out  his 
name  from  the  book  of  life;  but  confess  his 
name  before  his  Father  and  the  angels. 

6.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what  the 
Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches. 

This  most  solemn  and  general  warning  applies 
to  all  mankind. 

7.  And  to  the  angel  of  the  church  in  Phila- 
delphia, write :    Tliese  things  saith  he  tliat  is 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  35 

holy,  lie  that  is  true,  lie  that  hath  the  key  of 
David,  he  that  openeth,  and  no  man  shutteth ; 
and  shutteth,  and  no  man  openeth. 

This  letter  is  directed  to  the  pastor,  or  bishop, 
of  the  church  in  Philadelphia;  by  the  Lord 
Jesus,  who  is  holy  and  true ;  and  has  the  key  of 
David,  i.  e.,  born  of  David's  descendants;  and 
the  antit}^De  of  David;  and  king  over  all  the 
spiritual  Israel  of  God;  like  David  was  over 
natural  and  literal  Israel ;  and  opens  the  door  of 
mercy,  and  no  man  can  shut  it ;  and  shuts  the 
door  of  mercy,  and  no  man  can  open  it. 

8.  I  know  thy  works ;  behold,  I  have  set  be- 
fore thee  an  open  door,  and  no  man  can  shut  it ; 
for  thou  hast  a  little  strength,  and  hast  kept 
my  word,  and  hast  not  denied  my  name. 

The  Saviour  informs  the  church  at  Philadel- 
phia that  he  knows  their  works  of  piety,  and 
that  he  has  set  before  them  an  open  door  of 
acceptance ;  and  no  man  could  shut  it,  for  they 
had  a  little  spiritual  strength,  and  had  kept  his 
word,  and  had  not  denied  his  name. 

9.  Behold,  I  will  make  them  of  the  synagogue 
of  Satan,  which  say  they  are  Jews,  and  are  not, 


36  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN. 

but  do  lie ;  behold,  I  will  make  tliem  to  come 
and  worsliip  before  tliy  feet,  and  to  know  tliat  I 
have  loved  thee. 

The  Jews  in  Philadelphia  opposed  Christ  and 
his  Church,  and  still  clung  to  the  dead  letter 
of  the  law  of  Moses,  and  yet  claimed  to  be  the 
peculiar  people  of  God ;  but  our  Saviour  said  he 
would  make  them  of  the  synagogue  of  Satan,  by 
his  authoritative  decision ;  and  make  them  come 
humbly,  and  seek  the  favor  of  the  Christians, 
as  evidently  loved  by  Christ ;  this  might  easily 
take  place,  as  the  Eomans  often  slaughtered  vast 
multitudes  of  the  Jews  in  those  days. 

10.  Because  thou  hast  kept  the  word  of  my 
patience,  I  also  will  keep  thee  from  the  hour  of 
temptation,  which  shall  come  upon  all  the  world, 
to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth. 

The  church  at  Philadelphia  had  patiently  kept 
the  word  of  Christ,  and  as  a  reward  he  would 
keep  them  from  the  hour  of  temptation,  which 
was  coming  on  all  the  world,  or  Roman  empire, 
to  try  their  faith ;  this  might  have  some  fulfill- 
ment in  Trajan's  large  persecution ;  but  mainly 
fulfilled  under  the  ^lohammedan  invasion,  after 
the   Ottomans   or  Turks   had   supplanted    the 


THE    REVELATION    OF   ST.  JOHN.  37 

Saracens   or   Arabs,  and  nearly  ruined  all  the 
clinrclies  in  Asia.     Philadelphia  fared  best. 

1 1 .  Behold,  I  come  quickly :  hold  that  fast 
which  thou  hast,  that  no  man  take  thy  crown. 

Our  Saviour  warned  the  church  at  Philadel- 
phia that  he  would  come  quickly,  by  the  awful 
calamity  mentioned  in  verse  10,  to  prove  the 
fidelity  of  all  who  professed  Christianity;  and  in 
view  of  that  disaster,  his  professed  people  ought 
to  hold  fast  to  the  faith  and  practice  of  Chris- 
tianity, in  order  that  no  man  might  take  away 
their  crown  of  eternal  life. 

12.  Him  that  overcometh  will  I  make  a  pillar 
in  the  temple  of  my  God,  and  he  shall  go  no 
more  out ;  and  I  will  write  upon  him  the  name 
>f  my  God,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  my  God, 
which  is  new  Jerusalem,  which  cometh  down 
Dut  of  heaven  from  God ;  and  I  will  write  upon 
aim  my  new  name. 

As  a  reward  to  the  conquerers,  in  such  trials 
as  are  alluded  to  in  verse  10,  our  Saviour  j^rom- 
ised  to  make  them  pillars  in  the  temple  of  his 
God,  as  a  part  of  it,  and  to  go  out  no  more  to 
endure  conflicts ;  and  to  write  upon  them  the 


38  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN. 

name  of  liis  God,  and  tlie  name  of  tlie  city  of 
his  God,  even  new  Jerusalem,  wliicli  comes 
down  from  God  in  heaven ;  and  upon  them  his 
new  name,  ImmanueL  These  expressions  are 
all  taken  from  the  ancient  conquerors,  writing 
their  names,  exploits,  etc.,  on  pillars,  monu- 
ments, etc.  These  promises  would  greatly  en- 
courage the  Christians  to  faithfulness ;  and  we 
are  as  much  interested  in  them  as  they  were. 

13.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches. 

We  are  as  much  concerned  in  this  solemn 
warning  as  the  ancients  were. 

14.  And  unto  the  angel  of  the  church  of  the 
Laodiceans,  write :  These  things  saith  the  Amen, 
the  faithful  and  true  witness,  the  beginning  of 
the  creation  of  God, 

Our  Saviour  sends  this  message  to  the  pastor 
and  flock  at  Laodicea  as  the  Amen,  who  seals  all 
things  according  to  his  sovereign  will;  and  is 
also  the  faithful  and  true  witness  concerning  all 
things;  and  is  also  the  beginning,  author,  and 
ruler  of  the  universe,  as  one  with  the  Father 
and  the  Holy  Spirit. 


THE   EEYELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  39 

15.  I  know  tliy  works,  that  tliou  art  neither 
cold  nor  hot;  I  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot. 

The  omniscient  Saviour  saw  that  this  church 
at  Laodicea  was  so  lifeless  and  formal,  in  what 
little  it  did,  that  it  put  a  moral  chill  on  the 
spectators  and  discouraged  them ;  this  the  Lord 
hated. 

16.  So,  then,  because  thou  art  lukewarm,  and 
neither  cold  nor  hot,  I  will  spue  thee  out  of  my 
mouth. 

Unless  the  Laodiceans  became  more  alive  to 
Christ  and  the  salvation  of  souls,  he  would  re- 
ject them,  as  a  man's  stomach  rejects  warm 
water. 

17.  Because  thou  sayest,  I  am  rich  and  in- 
creased with  goods,  and  have  need  of  nothing ; 
and  knowest  not  that  thou  art  wretched,  and 
miserable,  and  poor,  and  blind,  and  naked. 

The  church  at  Laodicea  boasted,  like  the 
Pharisees,  that  they  were  rich,  spiritually,  and 
increased  with  goods  as  a  reward  for  their  merit, 
and  had  need  of  nothing  more  to  make  them 
fully  acceptable  to  God;  but  the  Lord  Jesus 
decided  that  they  were  the  wretched,  miserable. 


40  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

poor,  blind,  and  naked,  when  compared  with 
any  and  all  the  other  churches.  See  how  people 
over-estimate  themselves  ! 


18.  I  counsel  thee  to  buy  of  me  gold  tried  in 
the  fire,  that  thou  mayest  be  rich;  and  white 
raiment,  that  thou  mayest  be  clothed,  and  that 
the  shame  of  thy  nakedness  do  not  appear;  and 
anoint  thine  eyes  with  eye-salve,  that  thou  may- 
est see. 

Our  Saviour  counsels  this  frozen,  Pharisaical 
church  at  Laodicea  to  buy,  i.  e.,  part  with  their 
sins,  in  order  to  obtain  gold  tried  in  the  fire, 
i.  e.,  faith  which  will  endure  fiery  trials,  such 
as  temptations  and  persecutions,  that  they  might 
be  rich  toward  God;  and  white  raiment,  i.  e., 
the  righteousness  of  Christ;  that  thou  mayest 
be  clothed  with  heavenly  apparel ;  and  the  shame 
of  thy  nakedness,  i.  e.,  the  disgrace  of  sin,  may 
not  appear,  to  keep  you  out  of  heaven,  and 
torment  you  in  hell ;  and  anoint  thine  eyes 
with  eye-salve,  i.  e.,  the  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  on  your  understandings  and  consciences, 
enabling  you  to  make  correct  estimates  of 
your  merits  before  God. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  41 

19.  As  many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chasten: 
be  zealous,  therefore,  and  repent. 

The  Lord  Jesus  chastises  his  servants,  that 
he  may  purify  them  from  sin,  and  so  save 
them;  and  he  requires  them  to  be  zealous  in 
his  vineyard,  and  repent  of  sin,  and  live  new 
and  holy  lives. 

20.  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock ;  if 
any  man  hear  my  voice  and  open  the  door,  I 
will  come  in  to  him,  and  will  sup  with  him,  and 
he  with  me. 

Our  Saviour  stands  at  the  door  of  our  hearts ; 
and  knocks,  by  his  word  and  Spirit  operating 
upon  our  understandings  and  consciences ;  and 
if  any  will  hear,  open,  and  receive  him,  he  will 
come  in  and  hold  spiritual  communion  with 
them,  as  we  hold  social  communion  with  each 
other,  on  earth. 

21.  To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to 
sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also  over- 
came, and  am  set  down  with  my  Father  in  his 
throne. 

Our  Saviour  promises  to  every  one  that  over- 
comes the  world  by  faith,  to  sit  with  him  on  his 


43  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

throne,  in  the  mansions  of  rest,  as  his  official, 
like  he  oyercame  the  world  by  his  atonement, 
word,  and  holy  spirit,  and  sat  down  with  his 
Father  in  his  throne. 

22.  He  that  hath  an  ear  let  him  hear  what 
the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  churches. 

The  Saviour  closes  this  last  epistle  with  the 
same  momentous  warning  to  all  mankind. 


THE   KEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  43 


CHAPTER  IV. 

1.  ^^After  this  I  looked,  and  behold,  a  door 
was  opened  in  heaven:  and  the  first  voice  which 
I  heard  was  as  it  were  of  a  trumpet  talking  with 
me ;  which  said,  Come  np  hither,  and  I  will 
shew  thee  things  which  must  be  hereafter." 

After  this,  viz.,  the  seven  epistles  or  letters 
sent  to  the  seven  angels  or  pastors  of  the  seven 
churches  of  Asia  Minor — in  which  is  described 
the  spiritual  condition  and  destiny  of  each 
church — the  apostle  discovered  a  door  opened 
in  heaven  ;  intimating  that  much  more  and  im- 
portant knowledge  was  to  be  revealed. 

The  apostle  heard  a  supernatural  voice,  like  a 
trumpet,  the  Saviour  speaking  to  John  of  things 
which  must  be  hereafter ;  which  things  constitute 
trains  upon  trains  of  events,  reaching  from  the 
apostolic  day  to  the  end  of  time,  and  the  begin- 
ning of  the  eternal  state ;  and  these  events  are 
described  by  symbols,  figures,  types,  shadows, etc., 
the  apostle's  bodily  senses  being  locked  up  as  to 


44  THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

temporal  affairs,  by  the  power  of  tlie  Holy  Spirit, 
and  the  eyes  of  his  understanding  being  opened 
to  see  these  great  future  events. 

2.  *^And  immediately  I  was  in  the  Spirit ;  and 
behold,  a  throne  was  set  in  heaven,  and  one  sat 
on  the  throne." 

The  Spirit  threw  the  apostle's  mind  into  an 
ecstasy  and  he  saw  a  throne  in  heaven,  and  one 
surpassing  description,  even  the  Eternal  God,  sat 
on  it. 

3.  ^^And  he  that  sat  was  to  look  upon  like  a 
jasper  and  a  sardine-stone ;  and  there  w^as  a 
rain])0W  round  about  the  throne,  in  sight  like 
unto  an  emerald." 

The  resplendent  '^jasper"  faintly  intimated 
the  divine  excellence  of  the  one  on  the  throne ; 
and  tlie  red  ^^ sardine,"  his  divine  justice;  and 
the  ^"^ rainbow,"  his  grace;  audits  green  color 
denoted  rest  to  the  e3^e  of  faith,  as  green  rests 
the  natural  eyes  of  the  body. 

4.  "And  round  about  the  throne  were  four- 
and-twenty  seats ;  and  upon  the  seats  I  saw  f our- 
and-twenty  elders  sitting,  clothed  in  white  rai- 


THE    REVELATION    OP    ST.  JOHN.  45 

ment ;  and  they  had  on  their  heads  crowns  of 
gold." 

The  four-and-twenty  elders,  composed  of  the 
twelve  patriarchs  and  twelve  apostles,  emblema- 
tize the  whole  church  under  both  dispensations. 
Clothed  in  white  denotes  sj)iritual  purity,  by 
faith  in  Christ.  Crowns  of  gold  denote  their 
royal  priesthood,  while  they  sat  on  inferior 
thrones  or  seats  at  some  distance  from  Grod  the 
Father. 

5.  ^^And  out  of  the  throne  proceeded  light- 
nings, and  thunderings,  and  voices,  and  there 
were  seven  lamps  of  fire  burning  before  the 
throne,  which  are  the  seven  spirits  of  God." 

The  lightnings,  thunderings,  and  voices,  de-. 
note  God's  vengeance  against  sinners,  as  at  the 
giving  of  the  law  at  Sinai.  The  seven  lamps, 
and  the  seven  spirits  of  God  denote  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  third  person  of  the  Trinity  ;  seven  is 
a  round  number  denoting  j)erf ection,  as  the  seven 
days  in  a  week,  the  jubilee,  etc.,  hence  we  are 
reminded  of  the  infinite  perfections  of  the  heart- 
searching  Holy  Spirit. 

6.  "And  before  the  throne  there  was  a  sea  of 


46  THE    KEYELATIOiJ-    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

glass  like  unto  crystal :  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
^hrone,  and  round  about  the  throne,  were  four 
beasts  full  of  eyes  before  and  behind." 

Many  expressions  in  Eevelation  are  borrowed 
from  the  temple  of  Solomon,  and  its  imple- 
ments, and  services;  hence  the  "sea  of  glass" 
like  unto  crystal ;  alluding  to  the  molten  sea  of 
brass  in  the  court  of  the  temple,  and  denotes 
the  fountain  opened  through  Christ  for  sin  and 
uncleanness,  in  which  all  his  sj)iritual  priest- 
hood purify  themselves:  "Four  beasts,"  living 
creatures,  from  zoe,  life,  not  tliiriron,  a  wild 
beast.  These  were  an  emblem  of  the  whole 
ministry  of  God's  church  on  earth  ;  two  of  them 
for  the  Old  Testament  dispensation,  and  two  for 
the  New  ;  because  two  or  three  witnesses  under 
the  law  of  Moses  were  sufficient  to  establish  any 
fact.  "  Full  of  eyes  before  and  behind, "  de- 
notes vigilance  in  regard  to  the  future  and  the 
past.  "  In  the  midst  of  the  throne  and  round 
about  it,"  denotes  that  the  ministers  are  between 
God  and  the  people. 

7.  "And  the  first  beast  was  like  a  lion,  and 
the  second  beast  like  a  calf,  and  the  third  beast 
had  a  face  as  a  man,  and  the  fourth  beast  was 
like  a  flying  eagle." 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN".  4V 

The  first  zoe,  like  a  lion,  denotes  boldness ; 
the  second  like  a  calf,  denotes  endurance ;  the 
third  with  a  face  as  a  man,  denotes  intelligence ; 
and  the  fourth  like  an  eagle,  denotes  swiftness  ; 
and  all  these  qualities  combined  are  necessary  to 
make  good  ministers.  The  cherubim  elsewhere 
had  the  four  faces  combined  in  each,  but  here 
each  has  but  one  ;  this  may  denote  the  superi- 
ority of  angels  to  men,  while  here  on  earth. 

The  cherubim  at  the  entrance  of  the  garden 
of  Eden  were  an  angelic  guard  ;  in  Ezekiel,  they 
meant  the  ministry  of  angels,  and  oyer  the 
mercy-seat,  they  denoted  the  Trinity  in  council 
to  redeem  man. 

8.  ^^  And  the  four  beasts  had  each  of  them  six 
wings  about  him ;  and  they  were  full  of  eyes 
within  ;  and  they  rest  not  day  and  night,  say- 
ing. Holy,  holy,  holy.  Lord  God  Almighty,  which 
was,  and  is,  and  is  to  come." 

Each  zoon,  six  wings,  like  the  seraphim,  i.  e., 
burning  ones,  in  Isaiah,  yi.  The  front  two  cov- 
ering the  face  intimated  humility,  the  middle 
pair  swiftness,  and  the  hinder  pair,  covering  the 
feet,  modesty.  "Full  of  eyes  within,"  denoted 
self-examination.  They  rest  not  day  nor  night, 
showing  that  the  world  of  spirits  is  always  in 


48  THE    EEVELATIOX    OF  ST.    JOHN. 

motion  and  never  tire.  Eepetition  is  one  of  the 
ways  in  wliicli  the  Hebrew  hinguage  forms  the 
superlative  degree;  hence  "Holy,  liolj^  lioly," 
means  most  holy ;  and  this  shows  most  intense 
emotions  toward  G-od.  "Was,  is,  and  is  to 
come,"  mean  from  eternity  to  eternity,  time  be- 
ing an  intermediate  speck. 

9.  "And  when  those  beasts  give  glory,  and 
honor,  and  thanks  to  him  that  sat  on  the  throne, 
who  liveth  forever  and  ever." 

10.  "The  four-and- twenty  elders  fall  down 
before  him  that  sat  on  the  throne,  and  worship 
him  that  liveth  forever  and  ever,  and  cast  their 
crowns  before  the  throne,  saying,  ^Thou  art 
worthy,  0  Lord,  to  receive  glory,  and  honor,  and 
power,  for  thou  hast  created  all  things,  and  for 
thy  pleasure  they  are  and  were  created.'" 

When  the  beasts,  or  zoa,  the  emblems  of  the 
ministry,  give  glory  to  God,  the  elders  or  pres- 
byters, the  emblems  of  the  great  body  of  the 
church,  worship  the  eternal  God,  and,  in  confes- 
sion of  salvation  by  grace,  cast  down  their  crowns 
before  the  throne.  All  confessing  that  God  cre- 
ated all  things  for  himself,  and  was  worthy  of 
all  things. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  49 


CHAPTER  V. 

1.  "Ai^D  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  him  that 
sat  on  the  throne^  a  book  written  within  and  on 
the  back  side,  sealed  with  seven  seals." 

The  apostle,  next,  sees  a  book,  such  as  were 
made  in  ancient  times,  viz.,  parchments  written 
on  both  sides  ;  the  first  rolled  up  and  sealed,  the 
next  rolled  on  it  and  sealed,  and  so  on  through- 
out the  whole  seven  ;  and  this  book  was  in  the 
hand  of  God  the  Father,  sitting  on  the  throne 
of  the  Universe.  This  book,  with  the  addition 
of  the  little  book  (chap,  x.),  contains  a  symbolic 
prediction  of  all  the  great  events,  respecting  the 
church,  from  the  apostolic  days  to  the  end  of 
time  and  the  beginning  of  the  eternal  state. 

2.  *^And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming, 
with  a  loud  voice,  Who  is  worthy  to  open  the 
book,  and  to  loose  the  seals  thereof  ?  " 

A  strong  angel,  as  God's  herald,  inquired  who, 
anywhere  in  the  universe,  was   worthy  before 


50  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN. 

God  to  loose  the  seals^  and  reveal  the  contents 
of  the  book. 

3.  '^And  no  man  in  heaven,  nor  in  earth, 
neither  under  the  earth,  was  able  to  open  the 
book,  neither  to  look  thereon." 

And  no  man  in  heaven,  nor  on  earth  or  nnder 
the  earth,  as  to  his  body  buried,  while  his  soul 
was  in  the  world  of  spirits,  was  able  to  reveal 
the  contents  of  the  book,  or  even  open  it  or  read 
it  himself. 

4.  ^^And  I  wept  much,  because  no  man  was 
found  worthy  to  open,  and  to  read  the  book, 
neither  to  look  thereon." 

The  apostle's  anxiety  to  know  the  contents  of 
the  book  was  exceedingly  great,  hence  he  wept 
much,  when  he  seemed  to  be  disappointed. 

5.  ^'  And  one  of  the  elders  saith  unto  me,  "Weep 
not :  behold,  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Juda,  the 
root  of  David,  hath  prevailed  to  open  the  book, 
and  to  loose  the  seven  seals  thereof." 

One  of  the  elders  comforted  him,  by  telling 
him  that  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of   Juda,   vi^.. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  51 

Christ,  had  prevailed,  by  his  atonement  for  sin_, 
to  loose  the  seals. 

6.  ^'  And  I  beheld,  and  lo  !  in  the  midst  of  the 
throne,  and  of  the  four  beasts,  and  in  the  midst 
of  the  elders,  stood  a  lamb  as  it  had  been  slain, 
having  seven  horns,  and  seven  eyes,  which  are 
the  seven  spirits  of  God  sent  forth  into  all  the 
earth." 

The  apostle  saw  inside  of  the  circle,  and  near 
the  throne  a  lamb,  viz.,  Christ:  for  the  pascal 
lamb  was  the  type  of  Christ  until  he  came ;  and 
the  Jews  were  accustomed  to  put  the  type  for 
the  antitype,  and  the  antitype  for  the  type,  and 
sometimes  they  mentioned  both  in  conjunc- 
tion. 

7.  ''And  he  came  and  took  the  book  out  of 
the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  upon  the 
throne." 

The  Son  now  received  the  book  from  the 
Father. 

8.  ''And  when  he  had  taken  the  book,  the 
four  beasts  and  four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down 
before  the  lamb,  having  every  one  of  them  harps 


52  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

and  golden  vials  full  of   odors,  wliicli  are  the 
prayers  of  saints." 

On  the  receipt  of  the  book,  the  emblems  of 
the  ministry  and  of  the  laity  paid  divine  hom- 
age to  the  Son ;  and  with  harps,  alluding  to  the 
temj)le  music,  and  showing  the  fact,  that  the 
prayers  of  the  saints  are  as  acceptable  to  God 
through  Christ,  as  odors  or  incense  in  golden 
vials  or  censors,  were  in  the  temple. 

9.  ^^  And  they  sung  a  new  song,  saying.  Thou 
art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to  open  the 
seals  thereof ;  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast 
redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood  out  of  every 
kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation. " 

Now  the  Ha' ing  creatures  and  the  elders  sung 
a  new  song,  viz.,  redeeming  love  to  Jesus,  the 
ISTazarene,  who,  by  his  atonement  on  the  cross 
for  our  sins,  had  prevailed  to  open  the  book; 
and  this  heavenly  host  were  not  all  Jews,  nor  all 
Gentiles,  but  composed  of  every  kindred,  and 
tongue,  and  people,  and  nation. 

10.  ^^  And  hast  made  us  unto  our  God  kings 
and  priests ;  and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth." 

The  saints  united  to  Christ,  by  faith,  as  their 


THE    EEVELATION    OF    ST.    JOUlk.  53 

head,  will  yet  reign  spiritually  with  him  over  all 
his  enemies  on  earth  and  forever  in  heaven. 

11.  *' And  I  beheld,  and  I  heard  the  voice  of 
many  angels  round  about  the  throne,  and  the 
beasts,  and  the  elders ;  and  the  number  of  them 
was  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand,  and  thou- 
sands of  thousands." 

The  number  of  angels,  living  creatures,  and 
elders,  is  said  to  be  myriads  of  myriads,  and 
thousands  of  thousands. 

12.  ''  Saying  with  a  loud  voice.  Worthy  is  the 
lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches, 
and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honor,  and  glory, 
and  blessing." 

Xow  all  the  heavenly  host  sing  all  manner  of 
worthiness,  honor,  and  glory,  to  the  Lamb, 
Christ. 

13.  "And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven, 
and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the  earth,  and  such 
as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard 
I  saying.  Blessing,  and  honor,  and  glory,  and 
power,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne, 
and  unto  the  Lamb,  forever  and  ever." 


54  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHIS". 

The  apostle  now  heard  every  creature  in 
heaven,  on  earth,  in  the  grave,  and  in  the  sea, 
pay  divine  worship  to  him,  namely,  the  Father 
and  the  Lamb,  Christ;  if  Christ  was  not  the 
eternal  God  as  well  as  man,  this  would  be  idola- 
try. 

14.  '^And  the  four  beasts  said.  Amen.  And 
the  four  and  twenty  elders  fell  down  and  wor- 
shiped him  that  liveth  forever  and  ever. " 

The  four  emblems  of  the  ministry  said.  Amen : 
and  the  emblems  of  the  whole  church  wor- 
shiped him  that  liveth  to  infinity. 


THE    REVELATION   OF    ST.    JOHN.  55 


CHAPTER  VI. 

1.  *^Ai!^D  I  saw  when  the  Lamb  opened  one 
of  the  seals,  and  I  heard,  as  it  were  the  noise  of 
thunder,  one  of  the  four  beasts,  saying.  Come 
and  see." 

The  apostle  saw  the  Lamb,  the  Saviour,  open 
one  of  the  seven  seals,  and  heard  from  him,  the 
Saviour,  a  noise  like  thunder,  and  at  the  same 
instant  one  of  the  zoa,  living  creatures,  bid  the 
apostle  come  and  see. 

2.  ^^And  I  saw  and  behold  a  white  horse: 
and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a  bow ;  and  a  crown 
was  given  unto  him  :  and  he  went  forth  conquer- 
ing and  to  conquer." 

The  white  horse  is  an  emblem  of  the  charac- 
ter of  the  conquests  of  the  Gospel  during  the 
apostolic  day,  and  soon  after.  The  bow,  the 
great  weapon  of  warfare  among  the  Jews,  is  an 
emblem  of  the  word  and  Spirit  of  Christ,  by 
which  he  conquers  the  carnal  minds  of   men. 


56  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

changing  tliem  from  sinners  into  saints.  The 
rider  denotes  Christ,  and  the  crown  his  regal 
authority;  for  he  reigns  in  the  hearts,  and  rules 
over  the  consciences,  of  all  his  followers;  and 
will  continue  to  rule  by  providence  and  justice 
till  the  last  enemy  is  put  under  his  feet.  Con- 
quering and  to  conquer  denotes  the  tremendous 
conquests  of  the  Gospel  during  the  first  century, 
A.  P.  100. 

3.  "  And  when  he  had  opened  the  second  seal, 
I  heard  the  second  beast  say.  Come  and  see." 

At  the  opening  of  the  second  seal,  the  second 
living  creature  called  John's  attention  to  the 
next  train  of  events :  for  the  seven  seals  denote 
seven  trains  of  events ;  and  the  seven  trumpets, 
seven  more  trains  of  events  under  the  seventh 
seal ;  and  seven  vials  mean  seven  other  trains  of 
events  under  the  seventh  trumpet,  making 
twenty-one  trains  in  all :  and  these  intimate  the 
great  events  on  earth,  from  the  apostolic  day  un- 
til the  end  of  all  things.  In  looking  back  through 
history,  and  forward  through  prediction,  we 
have  a  miniature  view  of  earth  and  man  from 
first  to  last. 

4.  '^And  there  went  out  another  horse,  that 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  57 

was  red ;  and  power  was  given  to  him  that  sat 
thereon  to  take  peace  from  the  earth,  and  that 
they  should  kill  one  another;  and  there  was 
given  unto  him  a  great  sword." 

The  red  horse  is  an  emblem  of  the  bloody 
effects  of  wars;  the  rider  intimates  the  provi- 
dences of  Christ,  by  which  he  gave  up  inimical 
Jews,  and  idolatrous  Greeks  and  Eomans,  to 
slaughter  each  other  ;  the  great  sword  denotes 
the  great  destruction  of  human  life  by  such 
weapons.  It  is  allowed  that  five  hundred  and 
eighty  thousand  Jews,  and  yet  more  of  the 
Greeks  and  Eomans,  were  slain  by  insurrections; 
hence,  the  expression,  "Kill  one  another  and 
take  peace  from  the  earth."  This  was  continued 
from  about  A.  D.  100  to  A.D.  138. 

5.  "And  when  he  had  opened  the  third  seal,  I 
heard  the  third  beast  say.  Come  and  see.  And 
I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  black  horse  ;  and  he  that 
sat  on  him  had  a  pair  of  balances  in  his  hand." 

6.  "And  I  heard  a  voice  in  the  midst  of  the 
four  beasts  say,  A  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny, 
and  three  measures  of  barley  for  a  penny;  and 
see  thou  hurt  not  the  oil  and  the  wine." 

Famine  is  always  a  consequence  of  war,  for 


58  THE   REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

the  ciiltiyators  of  the  earth  are  taken  to  the  bat- 
tle field  and  killed  up.  The  black  horse  denotes 
the  mourning  on  account  of  famine.  "  A  meas- 
ure, or  chocnix,"  was  about  one  quart  and  a 
twelfth,  for  a  penny  or  denarius,  which  was 
equal  to  fourteen  cents  of  our  money,  and  was 
the  price  of  a  day's  labor  in  those  times  and 
places  ;  this  would  do  but  little  towards  sustain- 
ing a  man  and  his  family.  The  barley  was 
cheaper,  but  less  nourishing.  The  balances  in 
the  hand  of  the  rider  intimated  such  scarcity, 
that  the  little  there  was  would  be  weighed  with 
exactness.  ^^  Hurt  not  the  oil  and  the  wine  "  in- 
timates that  some  of  these  would  be  left.  We 
may  consider  the  Saviour's  providence  as  the 
rider  punishing  his  enemies  ;  and  the  voice  as 
coming  first  from  him,  and  then  the  living  creat- 
ures, to  the  Apostle  John.  This  seal  is  allowed  to 
reach  from  about  A.  D.  138  to  A.  D.  193. 

7.  ''  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fourth  seal, 
I  heard  the  voice  of  the  fourth  beast  say.  Come 
and  see." 

At  the  opening  of  the  fourth  seal,  the  fourth 
living  creature  called  the  attention  of  the  Apostle 
John,  as  usual. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  59 

8.  ^^And  I  looked  and  beliold,  a  pale  liorse: 
and  his  name  that  sat  on  him  was  death,  and  hell 
followed  with  him.  And  power  was  given  unto 
them  over  the  fourth  part  of  the  earth,  to  kill 
with  sword,  and  with  hunger,  and  with  death, 
and  with  the  beasts  of  the  earth." 

The  apostle  saw  a  pale  horse,  the  emblem  of 
hosts  of  pale  corpses  that  would  be  made  by  pes- 
tilence, war,  and  wild  beasts ;  the  rider  was 
death,  the  name  of  the  plague  in  ancient  times; 
hell  or  hades  (literally  the  unseen,  i.  e.,  the  state 
of  the  dead,  which  is  unseen  by  our  bodily  eyes) 
followed  death;  the  most  awful  plague  known  in 
history  raged  for  about  fifteen  years;  the  sword 
and  famine  brought  the  pestilence,  and  all  these 
calamities  thinned  the  men,  until  the  wild  beasts 
broke  in  on  the  remainder.  During  this  period 
more  than  twenty  Eoman  emperors  ruled  with 
great  cruelty,  and  more  than  thirty  insurgents 
and  their  adherents  perished.  These  events  ex- 
tend from  about  A.  D.  193  to  A.  D.  270. 

9.  ''  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fifth  seal,  I 
saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them  that  were 
slain  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony 
which  they  held." 


60  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN. 

The  filth  seal  discloses  the  souls  of  the  martyrs 
under  the  altar,  just  offered  to  God  ;  this  seal  in- 
cludes the  ten  years  of  Diocletian's  persecution, 
called  the  era  of  martyrs.  Heathenism  was  the 
established  religion  of  the  Eoman  Empire,  and 
they  wished  to  crush  Christianity  that  they  might 
keep  their  own  religion,  for  they  saw  that  Chris- 
tianity was  overturning  all  their  heathenish  insti- 
tutions, and  they  feared  that  the  Christians 
would  become  so  numerous  as  to  get  possession 
of  the  government. 

10.  "  And  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying. 
How  long,  0  Lord,  holy  and  true,  dost  thou  not 
judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth. ". 

The  souls  of  the  martyrs  called  on  God  to  vin- 
dicate his  sovereign  justice  by  destroying  their 
murderers. 

11.  ''^  And  white  robes  were  given  unto  every 
one  of  them,  and  it  was  said  unto  them,  that  they 
should  rest  yet  for  a  little  season,  until  their  fel- 
low-serva,nts  also  and  their  brethren,  that  should 
be  killed  as  they  were,  should  be  fulfilled." 

These  martyrs  were  presented  with  robes  of 


THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.    JOHN.  61 

Christ's  righteousness,  received  by  faith  ;  and 
they  were  comforted  by  telling  them  that,  in 
God's  economy,  it  was  necessary  for  them  to  wait 
until  more  of  their  brethren  on  earth  should  at- 
test the  truth  of  the  Gospel,  by  giving  up  their 
lives  rather  than  part  with  Christ.  These  events 
reach  from  A.  D.  270  to  about  A.  D.  304. 
Writers  agree  that  it  is  difficult  to  make  out  ex- 
act dates  at  this  late  day. 

12.  '^  And  I  beheld  when  he  had  opened  the 
sixth  seal,  and  lo,  there  was  a  great  earthquake; 
and  the  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair, 
and  the  moon  became  as  blood." 

The  opening  of  the  sixth  seal  was  the  precur- 
sor of  a  most  tremendous  political  earthquake; 
the  first  Christian  emperor,  Constantine,  now 
mounted  the  throne ;  this  is  what  the  heathen 
rulers  dreaded ;  the  sun,  the  heathen  imperial 
power,  was  totally  eclipsed,  and  the  moon,  the 
secondary  power  of  heathen  Eome,  came  to  a 
bloody  end. 

13.  ^^And  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the 
earth,  even  as  a  fig  tree  casteth  her  untimely 
figs  when  she  is  shaken  of  a  mighty  wind." 

And  the  stars,   the  minor  officers,  civil  and 


62  THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

religious,  in  heathen  Eome,  lost  their  places  like 
green  figs  falling  by  a  hurricane. 

14.  "  And  the  heaven  departed  as  a  scroll 
when  it  is  rolled  together  ;  and  eyery  mountain 
and  island  were  moved  out  of  their  places." 

And  the  heaven,  ^.  e.,  the  whole  heathen  poli- 
cy, and  domination  in  religion  and  politics,  de- 
parted as  a  scroll,  rolled  up  and  laid  aside  ;  and 
every  mountain  and  island  was  moved  out  of  its 
place,  as  to  heathen  rule  and  superstition,  that 
Christianity  might  rest  and  reign  in  all  places, 
even  the  most  distant. 

15.  *^  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the 
great  men,  and  the  rich  men,  and  the  chief  cap- 
tains, and  the  mighty  men,  and  every  bond  man, 
and  every  free  man,  hid  themselves  in  the  dens, 
and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains." 

And  all  the  officers,  mighty  men,  free  men 
and  bond  men  of  heathen  Rome,  fled  and  hid 
themselves  in  any  den  or  covert  that  they  could 
find. 

16.  ^^  And  said  to  the  mountains  and  rocks, 
Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  from  the  face  of  him  that 


THE    EEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  63 

sittetli  on  the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the 
Lamb." 

This  tremendous  host  of  murderous  heathen, 
as  a  type  of  all  the  wicked  at  the  last  day,  call 
on  the  mountains  and  the  rocks  to  hide  them 
from  the  face  of  Constantine,  as  the  agent  and 
type  of  Christ,  the  Lamb,  whose  wrath  they 
seemed  to  recognize  as  a  judgment  for  murder- 
ing the  Christians. 

17.  '^  For  the  great  day  of  his  wrath  is  come  ; 
and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand  ?  " 

These  monsters  of  sin  confess  God's  wrath  on 
them  now,  and  ask  who  shall  be  able  to  stand. 
These  events  bring  us  down  from  A.  D.  304  to 
A.  D.  338,  the  time  of  Constantine's  'death,  but 
the  sealing  and  withholding  the  winds  lasted 
from  A.  D.  338  to  near  A.  D.  395,  when  Theo- 
dosius,  the  great  prince,  died — the  end  of  the 
sixth  seal. 


64  THE    EEVELATION   OP   ST.    JOHN. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

1.  ''And  after  tliese  things  I  saw  four  angels 
standing  on  the  fonr  corners  of  the  earth,  hold- 
ing the  four  winds  of  the  earth,  that  the  wind 
should  not  blow  on  the  earth,  nor  on  the  sea, 
nor  on  any  tree." 

After  the  overthrow  of  heathen  tyranny  in  the 
Eoman  Empire,  and  the  establishment  of  a  Chris- 
tian emperor,  the  apostle  sees  four  angels,  the 
emblem  o£  God's  providences  in  the  four  quar- 
ters of  the  world,  withholding  the  four  winds  of 
persecution  and  any  other  disaster  that  might 
injure  the  tranquility  of  the  Church,  like  hurri- 
canes injure  vessels  and  men  on  sea,  and 
vegetation,  etc.,  on  land.  After  long  disasters 
to  the  Church,  Providence  secures  peace  to  it, 
until  its  professed  members  corrupt  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  and  so  bring  down  the  judgments 
of  God  upon  them.  If  Constantino  had  stopped 
when  he  released  the  Christians  from  persecu- 
tion,  he   would   have  been  one  of  the  greatest 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  65 

benefactors  of  the  Churcli;  but  he  kept  on  and 
established  the  Christian  religion,  and  made 
everything  in  the  Church  dazzle  with  wealth  and 
revenue.  This  tainted  the  good  and  baited  the 
bad  to  hurry  in  and  get  a  divide  of  the  loaves 
and  fishes  ;  hence  the  church  soon  run  into 
Eoman  Catholicism.  They  yet  claim  the  name 
and  respect  of  Christianity,  although  they  have 
lost  the  soul  out  of  it  and  mutilated  the  body. 
The  reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century  goes 
back  to  the  primitive  purity  of  the  Church,  and 
picks  up  the  soul,  and  puts  it  with  the  body 
and  name  of  Christianity  ;  hence  the  Catholics 
and  Protestants  oppose  each  other.  Civil  gov- 
ernment ought  never  to  do  more  for  any  set  of 
religious  tenets,  than  to  protect  them  against 
persecution  and  let  them  stand  on  their  own 
merits. 

2.  '^  And  I  saw  another  angel  ascending  from 
the  east,  having  the  seal  of  the  living  God  :  and 
he  cried  with  a  loud  voice  to  the  four  angels,  to 
whom  it  was  given  to  hurt  the  earth  and  the 
sea." 

The  apostle  sees  next  another  angel,  even  the 
Lord  Jesus,  the  angel  of  the  covenant,  ascending 
from  the  east,  namely  Calvary,   where  our  Sav- 


66  THE    EEVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

iour  made  the  atonement  for  sin  ;  and  he  com- 
manded all  the  agents  of  his  providence,  here 
called  four  angels,  not  to  interrupt  the  peace  of 
the  Church  jet,  like  tempests  injure  on  sea  and 
land. 

3.  "Saying,  Hurt  not  the  earth,  neither  the 
sea,  nor  the  trees,  till  we  have  sealed  the  ser- 
vants of  our  God  in  their  foreheads." 

These  agents  of  Providence  must  not  inter- 
rupt the  comfort  of  God's  people,  like  heavy 
winds  injure  on  sea  and  land,  till  the  Saviour 
sealed  with  his  word  and  spirit  the  servants 
of  God,  by  regeneration  and  sanctification, 
and  so  publicly  designating  them  as  his,  like 
certain  fraternities  and  devotees  to  certain  idols 
were  marked  or  tattooed  in  ancient  times. 

4.  "  And  I  heard  the  number  of  them  which 
were  sealed,  and  there  were  sealed  an  hundred 
and  forty  and  four  thousand  of  all  the  tribes  of 
the  children  of  Israel." 

5.  '^'^  Of  the  tribe  of  Juda  were  sealed  twelve 
thousand ;  of  the  tribe  of  Eeuben  were  sealed 
twelve  thousand ;  of  the  tribe  of  Gad  were 
sealed  twelve  thousand." 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  67 

6.  ^'  Of  the  tribe  of  Aser  were  sealed  twelye 
tliousand ;  of  the  tribe  of  Nephthalim  were 
sealed  twelve  thousand  ;  of  the  tribe  of  Manasses 
were  sealed  twelve  thousand." 

7.  "Of  the  tribe  of  Simeon  were  sealed 
twelve  thousand;  of  the  tribe  of  Levi  were 
sealed  twelve  thousand;  of  the  tribe  of  Issachar 
were  sealed  twelve  thousand." 

8.  "Of  the  tribe  of  Zabulon  were  sealed 
twelve  thousand  ;  of  the  tribe  of  Joseph  were 
sealed  twelve  thousand ;  of  the  tribe  of  Benja- 
min were  seaied  twelve  thousand." 

Twelve  patriarchs,  multiplied  by  twelve  apos- 
tles, make  one  hundred  and  forty-four,  and  this 
product  multiplied  by  a  thousand  makes  one 
hundred  and  forty-four  thousand,  intimating  that 
each  patriarch  and  apostle  is  the  captain  of 
many  thousands.  This  is  the  Church  under  the 
Xew  Testament  dispensation,  up  to  the  days  of 
Constantine,  and  yet  increasing  rapidly,  and  is 
only  t3'pical,  because  there  would  hardly  be  the 
same  number  saved  out  of  each  tribe.  When 
the  Church,  under  the  Old  Testament  dispensa- 
tion, was  brought  out  of  Egypt,  and  incorpo- 
rated as   God's  people,   they   were  numbered. 


68  THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

And  now  as  the  Jews  and  Gentiles,  are  united 
in  one  Ohurcli,  under  the  New  Testament  dis- 
pensation, having  succeeded  the  Old,  and  over- 
thrown heathenism,  and  become  established  in 
its  place,  they  are  numbered  as  Israel  was 
anciently.  The  twelve  tribes  are  here  enume- 
rated somewhat  differently  from  the  numbering 
in  other  places.  This  may  denote  a  difference 
in  their  spiritual  and  temporal  condition,  and 
relation  to  God  since  ancient  times. 

9.  ^^  After  this  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  great  multi- 
tude, which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  na- 
tions, and  kindred,  and  people,  and  tongues, 
stood  before  the  throne,  and  before  the  Lamb, 
clothed  with  white  robes,  and  palms  in  their 
hands." 

This  innumerable  multitude  suggests  the  hosts 
saved  from  among  all  nations  during  the  last 
three  centuries  of  persecutions  and  other  trou- 
bles. This  suggests  that  many  were  saved  who 
were  scarcely  noticed.  They  were  before  the 
throne  and  the  Lamb,  clothed  in  robes  of 
Christ's  righteousness,  and  palms  of  victory 
over  sin  in  their  hands. 

10.  ^'And   cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying, 


f 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  6*9 

Salvation  to  our  God  which   sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb." 

All  this  host  of  redeemed,  with  a  loud  voice, 
ascribe  their  salvation  to  God  and  to  the  Lamb. 

11.  **And  all  the  angels  stood  round  about 
the  throne,  and  about  the  elders,  and  the  four 
beasts,  and  fell  before  the  throne  on  their  faces, 
and  worshipped  God." 

All  the  angels  stood  on  the  outside  of  the 
circle,  and  fell  down,  and  cordially  joined  the 
redeemed  in  their  worship.  This  shows  that 
there  is  no  envy  nor  rivalry  in  heaven. 

12.  '^  Saying,  Amen  :  blessing,  and  glory,  and 
wisdom,  and  thanksgiving,  and  honor,  and 
power,  and  might,  be  unto  our  God,  forever  and 
ever.     Amen. " 

The  angels,  living  creatures,  and  elders  pay 
all  manner  of  worship  to  God,  and  seal  it  with 
Amen. 

13.  "  And  one  of  the  elders  answered,  saying 
unto  me.  What  are  these  which  are  arrayed 
in  white  robes,  and  whence  came  they  ?  " 

One  of  the  elders  asked  John,  who  are  these 


70  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

arrayed  in  white  robes,  and  whence  came  they  ? 
This  would  lead  the  apostle's  mind  to  the  pe- 
culiar means  by  which  saints  are  prepared  for 
heaven.  The  apostle  refers  the  question  back 
to  the  elder.  Tribulation,  for  Christ's  sake  in 
this  world,  gives  zest  to  the  enjoyment  of 
heaven  in  the  next. 

14.  "  And  I  said  unto  him.  Sir,  thou  knowest. 
And  he  said  to  me.  These  are  they  which  came 
out  of  great  tribulation,  and  have  washed  their 
robes,  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb." 

The  apostle  is  informed  by  the  elder,  that 
saints  get  to  heaven  through  great  tribulation; 
this  prepares  them  to  apj)reciate  it,  when  they 
do  get  there.  J^one  need  expect  to  bask  in  the 
sunshine  of  pleasure  to  heaven.  '^  Washed 
their  robes  "  is  equivalent  to  regeneration  by  the 
Spirit  and  the  Word.  ^^  And  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb"  is  equivalent  to  faith  in  the  atonement 
of  Christ. 

1.5.  ^^  Therefore  are  they  before  the  throne 
of  God,  and  serve  him  day  and  night  in  his 
temple,  and  he  that  sitteth  on  the  throne  shall 
dwell  among  them. " 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  71 

In  consequence  of  God's  people  being  spirit- 
ually cleansed  by  the  spirit  and  word  of  God, 
through  faith  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  they  are 
admitted  before  the  throne,  and  with  an  endless 
and  untiring  fervor  serve  God  in  his  temple,  and 
God  in  condescending  love  dwells  among  them. 

16.  "They  shall  hunger  no  more,  neither 
thirst  any  more,  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on 
them,  nor  any  heat." 

Hunger,  thirst,  and  heat  of  the  sun  make  up 
a  large  portion  of  our  uncomfortable  feelings 
here,  but  nothing  shall  interrupt  the  celestial 
consolations  of  the  redeemed  hereafter. 

17.  '^  For  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of 
the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall  lead  them 
unto  living  fountains  of  waters,  and  God  shall 
wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes." 

Christ,  the  Lamb,  in  the  midst  of  the  throne, 
will  feed  the  redeemed  with  spiritual  food,  and 
lead  them  to  heavenly  fountains  of  living  waters, 
and  God,  for  Christ's  sake,  will  wipe  away  all 
their  tears,  filling  their  souls  with  heavenly 
pleasures.  This  peace  of  the  Church  and  Eoman 
Empire  lasted  till  about  A.  D.  395. 


72  THE    KEVELATIOX    OF    ST.    JOHN. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

1.  "An"D  when  he  had  opened  the  seventh 
seal,  there  was  silence  in  heaven  about  the  space 
of  half  an  hour." 

When  the  Lamb,  Christ,  opened  the  seventh 
seal,  about  A.  D.  395,  there  was  silence  in 
heaven,  through  solemn  expectation  of  the 
momentous  events  that  were  to  come,  and  for 
half  an  hour  allowing  the  Church  a  little 
longer  peace. 

2.  ''^  And  I  saw  the  seven  angels  which  stood 
before  God,  and  to  them  were  given  seven  trum- 
pets." 

The  seven  trumpets  all  fall  under  the  seventh 
seal,  and  each  one  of  them  sounds  an  alarm  to 
the  people  of  the  Roman  Empire,  of  fearful  events 
just  at  hand. 

3.  ^'  And  another  angel  came  and  stood  at  the 
altar,  having  a  golden  censer,  and  there  was  given 
unto  him  much  incense,  that  he  should  offer  it 


THE    REVELATIONS-    OF    ST.  JOHN.  7'6 

with  the  prayers  of  all  saints  upon  the  golden 
altar  which  was  before  the  throne." 

Another  angel,  even  Christ,  our  great  high- 
I)riest,  stood  at  the  altar  of  incense  in  heaven, 
with  a  golden  censer,  filled  with  the  incense  of 
his  own  intercession,  and  the  prayers  of  the 
saints,  that  God  would  deliver  his  people,  and 
vindicate  his  justice  against  the  enemies  of  di- 
vine truth,  for  corrupting  the  Christian  religion 
and  perverting  civil  government. 

4.  ''  And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  which 
came  with  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  ascended 
up  before  God  out  of  the  angel's  hand. 

The  incense  and  prayers  of  the  saints  were 
accepted. 

5.  "  And  the  angel  took  the  censer,  and  filled 
it  with  fire  off  the  altar,  and  cast  it  into  the 
earth :  and  there  were  voices,  and  thunderings, 
and  lightnings,  and  an  earthquake." 

The  throwing  away  of  the  censer  intimated  that 
no  more  incense  and  prayers  were  needed  for  this 
purpose.  The  voices  intimated  God's  decision 
against  the  wicked,  and  the  thunderings  and 
lightnings  his  vengeance  against  the  wicked,  and 


74  THE    KEYELATION    OF    ST.  JOHX. 

tlie  earthquake  intimated  awful  political  inter- 
ruptions and  clianges. 

6.  *^And  the  seven  angels  which  had  the 
seven  trumpets  prepared  themselves  to  sound." 

The  preparatory  work  being  ended,  next 
comes  the  seven  alarms  from  the  seven  trumpets. 

7.  '  ^  The  first  angel  sounded,  and  there  followed 
hail  and  fire  mingled  with  blood,  and  they  were 
cast  upon  the  earth  :  and  the  third  part  of  trees 
was  burnt  up,  and  all  green  grass  was  burnt 
up." 

The  first  trumpet  gives  notice  of  the  awful 
invasion,  robbery,  murder,  etc.,  of  x^laric,  with 
his  fearful  hordes  of  Goths,  coming  down  from 
the  northern  regions,  about  the  Baltic  sea,  into 
the  Eoman  Empire,  into  the  beautiful  fields  of 
Beotea,  Phocis,  etc.,  having  crossed  the  Danube 
in  winter,  in  the  midst  of  hail,  snow,  etc. ,  and 
with  fire  burned  towns,  cities,  etc. ,  and  with  the 
sword  shed  the  blood  of  all  classes  of  citizens, 
driving  off  hordes  of  cattle,  with  the  young 
women  and  spoils  ;  they  also  took  Eome  and 
plundered  it,  slaying  2:)rinces,  people,  etc.,  as 
here  emblematized.  The  third  part  denotes  the 
vastness  of  the  slaughter ;  the  trees  and  grass, 


THE    KEVELATION-    OF    ST.  JOHN".  75 

the  adults  and  infants.  The  death  of  the  great 
prince  Theodosius,  left  the  way  open  for  this 
invasion,  which  lasted  till  A.  D.  410.  If  all  the 
particulars  of  this  invasion  could  be  collect- 
ed, no  doubt  it  would  make  a  large  volume,  yet 
they  are  here  symbolized  in  one  verse.  This 
chapter  pictures  the  downfall  of  the  Western 
Empire,  and  the  next,  the  Eastern. 

8.  ^*And  the  second  angel  sounded,  and  as 
it  were  a  great  mountain  burning  with  fire  was 
cast  into  the  sea :  and  the  third  part  of  the  sea 
became  blood. 

A  great  burning  mountain.  Adz.,  the  awful 
barbarous  invader,  Attila,  calling  himself  ^^The 
Scourge  of  God,"  '^was  cast  into  the  sea,"  viz., 
the  Eoman  Empire,  which  extended  far  and  wide, 
like  a  mighty  ocean.  "The  third  part,"  allud- 
ing to  the  Eoman  Empire,  which  covered  one- 
third  part  of  the  then  known  world,  "became 
blood,"  by  the  wholesale  slaughter  and  rapacity 
of  Attila  with  the  Hunns,  for  about  fourteen 
years,  and  accompanied  with  other  calamities, 
till  about  A.  D.  450. 

9.  ^'  And  the  third  part  of  the  creatures  which 


76  THE    EEVELATTON    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

were  m  the  sea,   and  had  life,  died  ;  and  the 
third  part  of  the  ships  were  destroyed." 

Human  life,  business,  and  interest  on  sea  and 
land,  suffered  wofully ;  and  as  the  Eastern  Em- 
pire lay  beside  the  Western,  it  suffered  much, 
while  the  Western  was  ruined.  This  second  trum- 
pet is  considered  as  extending  down  to  A.  D. 
450. 

10.  ^^  And  the  third  angel  sounded,  and  there 
fell  a  great  star  from  heaven,  burning  as  it  were 
a  lamp,  and  it  fell  upon  the  third  part  of  the 
rivers,  and  upon  the  fountains  of  waters." 

11.  ^^And  the  name  of  the  star  is  called 
Wormwood  :  and  the  third  part  of  the  waters 
became  wormwood,  and  many  men  died  of  the 
waters,  because  they  were  made  bitter." 

The  third  trumpet  ushered  in  a  great  (but 
dreadful)  star,  viz.,  Genseric,  with  three  hund- 
red thousand  Vandals  and  Moors  from  Africa, 
who  came  immediately  after  Attila,  and  took 
Rome  and  ravaged  everything  in  it,  and  left  it 
to  the  barbarous  avarice  of  his  licentious  troops. 

Genseric,  like  a  hateful,  ruinous  meteor,  fell 
upon  the  third  part,  viz.,  the  .Eoman  empire. 


THE    REVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN.  77 

completing  the  ravages  of  liis  predecessors, 
Alaric  and  Attila,  '^on  the  rivers  and  foun- 
tains of  waters,"  viz.,  the  wealth  and  resources 
of  the  Eoman  Empire.  Genseric  is  called  Worm- 
wood, on  account  of  his  bitter  Arian  doctrines 
and  persecution  of  the  orthodox,  thus  destroy- 
ing souls  as  well  as  life  and  property.  These 
horrors  continued  about  six  years,  and  bring  us 
down  to  A.  D.  456. 

12.  ^^And  the  fourth  angel  sounded,  and  the 
third  part  of  the  sun  was  smitten,  and  the  third 
part  of  the  moon,  and  the  third  part  of  the 
stars  ;  so  as  the  third  part  of  them  was  darkened, 
and  the  day  shone  not  for  a  third  part  of  it,  and 
the  night  likewise." 

The  fourth  trumpet  heralded  the  gradual 
sinking  of  the  Eoman  Empire,  which  is  again 
called  the  third  part.  The  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
i.  e.,  the  emperor,  senate,  and  magistrates,  lost 
much  of  their  control  over  the  empire,  during 
eight  miserable  reigns,  embracing  twenty  years. 
When  the  empire  expired  under  Momyllus,  A.  D. 
476,  the  senate  and  consuls  still  existed,  dwindl- 
ing until  A.  D.  566  ;  the  last  fragment  of  the 
empire  was  lostj  and  Eome  became  a  dukedom 


78  THE    KEVELATION    OF   ST.  JOHX. 

to  the  Exarcli  of  RaYeniia.  One  of  the  seven 
heads,  i.  e.,  forms  of  government,  viz.,  imperial, 
in  Eome,  was  now  wounded  to  death,  and  after- 
ward healed,  A.  D.  800,  hy  Charlemagne  as- 
suming the  title  of  Emperor  of  Eome  ;  and  tha 
"Western  Empire  became  divided  into  the  ten 
kingdoms  of  Europe,  prophetically  called  ten 
horns,  with  ten  crowns  on  their  heads.  Although 
the  Romans  had  great  possessions  in  the  East, 
where  the  Eastern  Empire  afterwards  sprung  up, 
yet  the  body,  head,  and  horns  of  the  Roman  Em- 
pire were  in  the  West,  at  Rome.  This  trumpet 
may  be  considered  as  extending  down  to  near 
A.  D.  606. 

13.  '^  And  I  beheld,  and  heard  an  angel  flying 
through  the  midst  of  heaven,  saying  with  a  loud 
voice.  Woe,  woe,  woe,  to  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth,  by  reason  of  the  other  voices  of  the  trum- 
pets of  the  three  angels,  which  are  yet  to  sound." 

The  angelic  herald  proclaiming  the  three-fold 
woe  intimates  more  fearful  scourges  in  the  other 
three  trumpets,  usually  called  woe  trumpets. 


THE    KEVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN.  79 


CHAPTEE  IX. 

1.  '^  AiTD  the  fifth  angel  sounded,  and  I  saw  a 
star  fall  from  heaven  unto  the  earth  :  and  to  him 
was  given  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit." 

At  the  sounding  of  the  fifth  trumpet,  a  star 
fell  from  heaven  to  the  earth ;  this  star  was  the 
Bishop  of  Eome,  including  all  his  coadjutors;  the 
heaven  from  which  the  star  fell  was  the  purity, 
sublimity  and  spirituality  of  the  Christian 
Church,  previous  to  j^opish  corruptions  ;  and  the 
earth  to  which  the  star  fell  means  all  the  am- 
bition, covetousness,  impurity,  heathen  mum- 
meries, and  heaven-daring  arrogance  of  the  Pope, 
his  agents,  emissaries,  etc. ,  etc.  As  a  key  opens 
a  door,  so  that  some  one  may  enter  and  do  what 
he  likes,  so  the  shocking  declension  of  Chris- 
tianity, at  Eome,  gave  Mohammed  a  pretext  to 
begin  his  imposture,  under  a  pretence  of  reform- 
ing Christianity  and  completing  and  carrying 
out  the  religion  of  Moses  and  Jesus ;  for  he  pre- 
tended that  both  of  these  persons  had  foretold 
his  coming,  and  that  these  predictions  had  been 


so  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

concealed  or  misunderstood.  Some  think  that 
Mohammed  mistook  ^'  Paracletes/' the  comforter, 
for  ^'  Periclntos,"  very  illustrious.  If  you  should 
fall  into  a  bottomless  pit,  you  would  be  always 
in  the  horrors  of  falling,  and  never  reach  the 
bottom ;  so  lost  souls  are  always  under  the  wrath 
of  God,  writhing  in  their  guilt  and  shame,  and 
no  more  offer  of  a  day  of  grace, 

2.  '^And  he  opened  the  bottomless  ^\t,  and 
there  arose  a  smoke  out  of  the  pit,  as  the  smoke 
of  a  great  furnace ;  and  the  sun  and  the  air  were 
darkened  by  reason  of  the  smoke  of  the  joit." 

The  apostasy  of  the  Bishop  of  Eome,  which 
was  completed  A.  D.  606,  obscured  Christ  the 
Son  of  Eighteousness  and  the  ^^air  of  his  Gos- 
pel "  from  the  common  people,  by  the  popish 
errors  and  corruptions  that  have  flooded  nominal 
Christendom  ever  since. 

3.  ^^And  there  came  out  of  the  smoke  locusts 
upon  the  earth :  and  unto  them  was  giren 
power,  as  the  scorpions  of  the  earth  have 
power. " 

Arabia  is  the  country  for  locusts,  and  Moham- 
med and  his  Saracene  followers  came  from  that 
place.     Scorpions  inflict  a  painful  wound,  and  is 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  81 

sometimes  fatal ;  and  in  like  manner  Mohammed 
and  liis  followers  inflicted  pain  and  death,  tem- 
poral and  spiritual,  on  many  nations,  by  the 
sword  and  by  the  Koran,  the  Mohammedan 
creed. 

4.  "And  it  was  commanded  them  that  they 
should  not  hurt  the  grass  of  the  earth,  neither 
any  green  thing,  neither  any  tree,  but  only 
those  men  which  haye  not  the  seal  of  God  in 
their  foreheads. " 

The  rulers  commanded  the  army  not  to  injure 
the  stock,  fruits  or  vegetation,  but  God  left 
them  to  act  themselves  out;  injuring  the  cor- 
rupters of  the  Christian  religion,  i.  e.,  those  who 
were  not  sealed  by  the  word  and  spirit  of  God. 
So  the  Mohammedans  only  used  the  products  of 
the  earth,  and  Providence  preserved  the  better 
class  of  professing  Christians. 

5.  "And  to  them  it  was  given  that  they 
should  not  kill  them,  but  that  they  should  be 
tormented  five  months  :  and  their  torment 
was  as  the  torment  of  a  scorpion,  when  he 
striketh  a  man." 

While  these  Saracene  Moahmmedans  killed 
hosts  of   individuals  in   the   Greek   and   Latin 


82  THE    REVELATION    OF   ST.  JOHX. 

cliurches,  they  were  not  permitted  to  kill  tlieni 
as  nations  or  bodies  politic,  "but  to  torment 
them  five  months/'  the  length  of  the  life  of  the 
locust.  Prophetically,  each  day  in  these  five 
months  is  a  year,  making  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years.  This  period  dates  from  A.  D.  612,  when 
Mohammed  began  to  propagate  his  imposture 
publicly,  and  ends  A.  D.  762,  when  the  Saracenes 
stopped  their  ravages,  built  Bagdad  on  the 
Euphrates,  and  became  a  settled  people,  and 
remained  so  till  A.  D.  1281,  which  may  be  con- 
sidered the  end  of  the  fifth  trumpet ;  and  during 
this  period  they  were  supplanted  by  the  Turks. 
The  Saracenes  were  still  compared  to  the  pain- 
ful and  deadly  scorpion  of  the  Eastern  Hemi- 
sphere. 

6.  "And  in  those  days  shall  men  seek  death, 
and  shall  not  find  it,  and  shall  desire  to  die, 
and  death  shall  flee  from  them." 

The  sufferings  of  many  under  this  dreadful 
Saracene  invasion  were  such  that  death  would 
have  been  a  welcome  messenger. 

7.  "And  the  shapes  of  the  locusts  were  like 
unto  horses  prepared  unto  battle ;  and  on  their 


THE    KEVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  83 

heads   were  crowns   like  gold,   and  their  faces 
were  as  the  faces  of  men." 

The  head  of  a  locust  resembles  that  of  a 
horse,  and  the  figurative  locust,  i.e.,  Saracenes, 
used  a  vast  deal  of  cavalry.  ^'^The  crowns  like 
gold "  denote  the  turbans  which  they  wore 
while  enriching  themselves,  by  adding  kingdoms 
to  their  dominions ;  as  to  their  faces,  they  resem- 
bled the  rest  of  mankind. 

8t  ^^  And  they  had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women, 
and  their  teeth  were  as  the  teeth  of  lions." 

The  Arabs  are  remarkable  for  long  hair  and 
conspicuous  teeth. 

9.  ^^And  they  had  breast-plates,  as  it  were 
breast-plates  of  iron ;  and  the  sound  of  their 
wings  was  as  the  sound  of  chariots  of  many 
horses  running  to  battle." 

The  Saracenes  wore  breast-plates  for  protec- 
tion, and  made  much  noise  in  their  swift  marches 
and  fierce  assaults. 

10,  ^^And  they  had  tails  like  unto  scorpions, 
and  there  were  stings  in  their  tails  :  and  their 
power  was  to  hurt  men  five  montlis." 


84  THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

The  stings  in  tlieir  tails  denote  the  Koran, 
which  the  conquered  had  to  receive  or  die. 

11.  *^  And  they  had  a  king  over  them,  which 
is  the  angel  of  the  bottomless  ^Dit,  whose  name 
in  the  Hebrew  tongue  is  Abaddon,  but  in  the 
Greek  tongue  hath  his  name  Apollyon." 

The  king  over  these  mystic  locusts  was  the 
caliphs,  i.  e.,  successors  of  Mohammed,  who 
were  also  the  priests,  commanders,  and  rulers  of 
their  religion  ;  at  the  same  time  an  emissary  of 
Satan,  the  ruler  of  the  infernal  pit,  and  a 
murderer  from  the  beginning ;  and  in  the 
Hebrew  and  Greek  their  king  is  called  a  de- 
stroeyr,  for  he  destroys  both  body  and  soul. 

12.  '^  One  woe  is  past ;  and  behold,  there  come 
two  woes  more  hereafter." 

The  sejoarate  events  and  the  separate  times  of  • 
the  events,  and  also  their  awful  importance,  are 
intimated  in  this  announcement. 

13.  ''And  the  sixth  angel  sounded,  and  I 
heard  a  voice  from  the  four  horns  of  the  golden 
altar  which  is  before  God." 

At  the  sound  of  the  sixth  trumpet  a  voice  from 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  85 

fclie  four  horns  of  the  golden  altar,  i.  e.,  the  pure 
service  of  God,  intimated  vengeance  to  the  cor- 
rni3ters  of  Christianity,  and  by  the  instrumentali- 
ty of  the  Turkish  Mohammedans,  who  had  now 
supplanted  the  Saracenes,  and  now  picked  uj) 
the  conquests  in  their  place. 

14.  ""  Saying  to  the  sixth  angel  which  had  the 
trumpet.  Loose  the  four  angels  which  are  bound 
in  the  river  Euphrates. " 

Loose  the  four  angels,  i.  e.,  four  Sultanies, 
which  the  Turkish  Mohammedans  had  previ- 
ously established  on  the  Euphrates,  but  were 
restrained  by  the  crusades  until  now  ;  they  also 
disregarded  their  Sultan  at  Babylon. 

15.  *^  And  the  four  angels  were  loosed,  which 
were  prepared  for  an  hour,  and  a  day,  and  a 
month,  and  a  year,  for  to  slay  the  third  part  of 
men. " 

The  four  angels,  or  Turkish  Sultanies,  were 
prepared  for  a  projDhetic  hour,  fifteen  days, 
and  a  prophetic  month,  30  years,  and  a 
prophetic  year,  360  years ;  making  in  all  391 
years  and  15  days.  This  period  began  with  the 
first  conquests  of  the  Turks,   A.  D.  1281,  and 


86  THE  REV^ELATION   OF    ST.    JOHN. 

ended  with  their  last  conquest,  A.  D.  1672.  The 
Turks  had  now  ruined  the  whole  Eastern  Empire, 
having  taken  the  capital  in  A.  D.  1453  ;  the 
Goths,  Hunns  and  Vandals  haying  previously 
ruined  the  whole  Western  Empire  ;  so  the  whole 
old  Koman  Empire  was  destroyed  as  wickedly 
as  it  had  been  built  up. 

16.  "And  the  number  of  the  army  of  the 
horsemen  were  two  hundred  thousand  thousands ; 
and  I  heard  the  number  of  them." 

The  Turkish  cavalry  numbered  two  myriads 
of  myriads,  which  may  include  all  the  cavalry 
from  first  to  last,  and  be  hyperbolical  at  that. 

17.  "And  thus  I  saw  the  horses  in  the  vision, 
and  them  that  sat  thereon,  having  breast-plates 
of  fire,  and  of  jacinth  and  brimstone :  and 
the  heads  of  the  horses  were  as  the  heads  of 
lions  ;  and  out  of  their  mouths  issued  fire,  and 
smoke  and  brimstone." 

The  apostle  saw  with  the  eyes  of  his  mind, 
under  the  influence  of  the  Sj^irit,  the  horses  and 
riders,  with  breast-plates  of  fire,  hyacinth  and 
brimstone,  i.  e.,  red,  blue,  and  yellow,  in  which 
colors  the  Turks  prided  ;  and  the  heads  of  their 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  87 

horses^  like  lions,  denoted  strength  and  firmness. 
The  fire,  smoke,  and  brimstone,  issuing  out  of 
their  mouths,  denoted  the  free  use  of  gun- 
powder ;  for  it  is  said  that  the  Turks  fired 
stones  of  three  hundred  pounds  weight  out  of 
their  cannon  at  the  walls  of  Constantinople,  while 
taking  that  city 

18.  ^^  By  these  three  was  the  third  part  of 
men  killed,  by  the  fire,  and  by  the  smoke,  and 
by  the  brimstone,  which  issued  out  of  their 
mouths." 

By  these  three,  viz.,  fire,  smoke,  and  brim- 
stone, the  third  part,  a  tremendous  per  cent,  of 
men  in  the  Eoman  Empire,  the  third  of  the  then 
known  Avorld,  were  slain. 

19.  ^^For  their  power  is  in  their  mouth,  and 
in  their  tails  ;  for  their  tails  were  like  unto  ser- 
pents, and  had  heads,  and  with  them  they  do 
hurt." 

The  power  of  the  Turkish  army  was  in  their 
mouths,  i.  e.,  artillery,  of  which  they  had 
ordnance  of  very  large  calibre;  the  tails,  like 
serpents,  with  heads  on  them,  denote  the  Koran, 


88  THE    REVELATION  OF    ST.  JOHN. 

which  contained  the  S23iritual  venom  of  Moham- 
medanism. 

20.  ^'  And  the  rest  of  the  men  which  were  not 
killed  by  these  plagues  yet  repented  not  of  the 
works  of  their  hands,  that  they  should  not  wor- 
ship devils,  and  idols  of  gold,  and  silver,  and 
brass,  and  stone,  and  of  wood,  which  neither 
can  see,  nor  hear,  nor  walk." 

The  rest  of  the  men,  i.  e.,  Roman  Catholic 
idolaters,  repented  not,  even  after  these  awful 
scourges,  for  corrupting  the  Christian  religion ; 
but  kept  on  worshiping  devils  and  dumb  idols  of 
various  description ;  and,  indeed,  to  pay  divine 
homage  to  any  being  in  heaven,  earth,  or  hell, 
except  the  true  God,  is  idolatry;  Peter,  Mary, 
angels  and  saints,  are  no  exceptions. 

21.  *^  Neither  repented  they  of  their  murders, 
nor  of  their  sorceries,  nor  of  their  fornication, 
nor  of  their  thefts." 

The  mention  of  murder,  fornication,  and  theft 
shows  how  God  views  the  pretended  innocence, 
miracles,  celibacy,  and  honesty  of  the  Romish 
hierarchy ;  and  yet  they  cling  to  it.  The  first 
of  the  three  woe  trumpets  brought  the  Saracones, 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  89 

the  second,  the  Turks,  and  the  third  will  make  a 
clean  sweep  of  all  false  religions  from  the  earth  ; 
yet  the  seven  particular  trains  of  events  under  it 
are  called  seven  vials,  then  the  millennium  will 
open. 


90  THE   REVELATION   OF   ST.  JOHN. 


CHAPTER  X. 

1.  ^'AjN^d  I  saw  anotlier  miglity  angel  come 
down  from  heaven,  clothed  with  a  cloud  :  and  a 
rainbow  was  upon  his  head,  and  his  face  was  as 
it  were  the  sun,  and  his  feet  as  pillars  of  fire." 

The  apostle,  next,  sees  a  mighty  angel,  even 
Christ,  the  angel  of  the  covenant  of  grace,  come 
down  from  heaven  to  attend  to  his  mediatorial 
affairs  on  earth,  ''^clothed  with  a  cloud,"  some- 
what veiling  his  divine  resplendency ;  the  rain- 
bow upon  his  head  denoted  that  the  covenant  of 
grace  was  his  great  concern  ;  his  face,  as  the  sun, 
denoted  his  divine  glory  and  majesty,  and  his 
feet,  as  j^iHars  of  fire,  denoted  his  divine  firmness. 

2.  ^*And  he  had  in  his  hand  a  little  book 
open  :  and  he  set  his  right  foot  upon  the  sea,  and 
his  left  foot  on  the  earth. " 

The  little  book  is  an  appendix  to  the  book 
with  seven  seals,  and  comes  in  beside  the  latter 
part  of  the   second  woe  trumpet;  it  also  was 


THE   EEVELATION    OF   ST.  JOHN.  91 

opened  by  Christ,  tlie  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah, 
who  set  one  foot  on  the  sea,  and  the  other  on  the 
earth,  showing  that  he  was  Lord  of  sea  and  land. 

3.  ^^  And  cried  with  a  loud  Yoice,  as  when  a 
lion  roareth :  and  when  he  had  cried,  seven 
thunders  uttered  their  voices." 

The  loud  voice  of  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of 
Judah  was  responded  to  by  seven  thunders, 
uttering  words  and  ideas  which  were  necessary 
for  the  Apostle  John  to  know,  but  not  for  us. 

4.  ^'  And  when  the  seven  thunders  had  uttered 
their  voices,  I  was  about  to  write  :  and  I 
heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me,  seal 
up  those  things  which  the  seven  thunders 
uttered,  and  write  them  not." 

John  thought  to  write  what  the  seven  thunders 
uttered,  but  was  commanded  to  seal  them  up. 

5.  ^^And  the  angel  which  I  saw  stand  upon 
the  sea  and  upon  the  earth  lifted  up  his  hand  to 
heaven." 


The  angel  lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven,  in- 
timating that  he  called  God  to  witness  the  truth 
of  what  he  was  going  to  say.    This  is  the  proper 


92  THE    REVELATlOiT    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

way  to  take  an  oatli,  human  customs  to  tlie  con- 
trary notwitlistanding. 

6.  '^  And  sware  by  him  that  liveth  forever  and 
ever,  who  created  heaven,  and  the  things  that 
therein  are,  and  the  sea,  and  the  things  which 
are  therein,  that  there  should  be  time  no 
longer." 

The  angel  swore  by  the  self-existent  Governor 
of  the  universe  that,  chronos  (the  time)  ouh 
(not)  es  ai  (should  be)  eti  (yet),  i.  e.,  when  all 
false  religions  should  be  done  away,  and  the  true 
religion  prevail  through  the  whole  earth. 

7.  *^But  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh 
angel,  when  he  shall  begin  to  sound,  the  mystery 
of  God  should  be  finished,  as  he  hath  declared 
to  his  servants  the  prophets." 

But,  under  the  seventh  trumpet,  the  mystery 
of  the  salvation  of  the  righteous  and  condemna- 
tion of  the  wicked  should  be  finished;  accord- 
ingly, the  seventh  trumpet  glances  clear  to  the 
end  of  all  things,  and  the  seven  vials  point  out 
seven  trains  of  events  under  it,  which  destroy 
all  false  religions.  This  mystery  of  salvation 
through  Christ  was  foretold  by  all  the  prophets. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  93 

8  ^^  And  the  Yoice  wliicli  I  heard  from  heaven 
spake  unto  me  again,  and  said.  Go,  and  take 
the  little  book  which  is  open  in  the  hand  of  the 
angel  which  standeth  upon  the  sea  and  upon  the 
earth.'' 

John  was  now  commanded  to  take  the  little 
book,  which  was,  of  course,  designed  for  him, 
that  he  might  reveal  its  contents. 

9.  '^And  I  went  unto  the  angel,  and  said 
unto  him,  Give  me  the  little  book.  And  he 
said  unto  me.  Take  it,  and  eat  it  up  ;  and  it 
shall  make  thy  belly  bitter,  but  it  shall  be  in 
thy  mouth  sweet  as  honey." 

The  angel  gave  John  the  little  book,  bidding 
him  eat  it  up,  i.  e.,  be  inspired  with  its  con- 
tents ;  reminding  him  that  it  would  make  his 
belly  bitter,  but  be  sweet  in  his  mouth — i.  e., 
it  is  bitter  to  reflect  on  the  sins  and  miseries  of 
mankind,  while  it  is  sweet  to  get  a  peej)  into 
the  future. 

10.  ''And  I  took  the  little  book  out  of  the 
angel's  hand,  and  ate  it  up,  and  it  was  in  my 
mouth  sweet  as  honey  :  and  as  soon  as  I  had 
eaten  it,  my  belly  was  bitter." ' 

The  apostle  realized  what  the  angel  told  him. 


94  THE    REVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

11.  '^  And  lie  said  unto  me,  Thou  must  prophe- 
sy again  before  many  peoples,  and  nations,  and 
tongues,  and  kings." 

The  apostle  was  now  inspired  to  preach  the 
contents  of  the  little  book  in  such  a  way,  that 
nations  will  read  it  till  the  end  of  time. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  95 


CHAPTER  XL 

1.  ^^  AxD  there  was  giyen  me  a  reed  like  unto 
a  rod  :  and  the  angel  stood,  saying,  rise,  and 
measure  the  temple  of  God,  and  the  altar,  and 
them  that  worship  therein." 

The  first  fourteen  verses  of  this  chapter  ex- 
hibit the  contents  of  the  little  book,  and  show 
that  there  was  some  true  piety  yet  in  nominal 
Christendom. 

2.  ^^But  the  court  which  is  without  the  tem- 
ple, leave  out,  and  measure  it  not,  for  it  is 
given  unto  the  Gentiles  :  and  the  holy  city  shall 
they  tread  under  foot  forty  and  two  months." 

The  court  outside  of  the  temple  means  nom- 
inal Christendom,  destitute  of  piety,  and  full  of 
idolatry,  superstition,  and  all  manner  of  popish 
vices.  This  court  is  given  to  the  Gentiles,  i.  e., 
such  professors  of  religion  as  have  none  of  the 
faith  or  holiness  of  father  Abraham  and  his 
spiritual  children ;  and    these   popish    fanatics 


96  THE    EEYELATION    OF    ST.    JOHX. 

would  tread  the  holy  city  under  foot,  i.  e.,  mur- 
der true  Christians,  forty  and  two  (prophetic) 
months,  which  is  twelve  hundred  and  sixty 
prophetic  days,  i.  e.,  years.  This  shows  that  the 
persecuting  papal  hierarchy  is  to  exist  twelve 
hundred  and  sixty  days,  proiDhetically,  which  is 
twelve  hundred  and  forty-two  Julian  years.  It 
is  essential  here  to  notice  that  the  Romish  hie- 
rarchy had  a  ^Dlurality  of  beginnings,  and  must 
have  a  plurality  of  endings,  like  the  Babylon- 
ish captivity  had.  Popery  began  A.  D.  606, 
when  Pliocas  decreed  the  Bishop  of  Rome 
■universal  bishop  and  supreme  head  of  the 
Church.  Now,  add  to  this  date  the  twelve  hun- 
dred and  sixty  days,  i.  e.,  years,  the  duration  of 
Popery,  and  the  time  seems  out,  A.  D.  1866  ; 
now  take  five  days  and  a  quarter  out  of  each 
prophetic  3'ear,  to  bring  them  into  Julian  years, 
and  the  time  seems  out,  A.  D.  1848.  Now  that 
very  year  the  Pope  runs  off  from  his  pretended 
chair  of  Saint  Peter,  and  was  held  on  it  by 
French  bayonets  until  A.  D.  1870,  when  Louis 
Napoleon  withdrew  his  soldiers  to  fight  the  King 
of  Prussia,  who  is  now  the  Emperor  of  Ger- 
many ;  then  the  Pope's  subjects  rose  up,  and 
transferred  all  his  dominions  to  Victor  Eman- 
uel, King  of  Italy  ;  and  he  moved  his  capital 


THE    EEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  97 

into  Eome.  This  Avas  the  first  ending  of  Popery. 
The  second  beginning  of  Poj^ery  was  in  A.  D. 
756,  when  Pipin  made  the  Pope  a  temporal 
prince ;  now  add  to  this  date  the  twelve  hundred 
and  sixty  prophetic  days,  i.  e.,  years,  that 
Popery  is  to  exist,  and  the  time  runs  out  in  A. 
1").  2016  ;  now  bring  these  years  to  Julian  years, 
I.  e.,  take  five  and  one-quarter  days  from  each 
year,  and  the  time  runs  out  in  1998,  and  this 
will  be  the  final  ending  of  Popery. 

3.  ^^  And  I  will  give  power  unto  my  two  wit- 
nesses, and  they  shall  prophesy  a  thousand  two 
hundred  and  three  score  days,  clothed  in  sack- 
cloth." 

Under  the  law  of  Moses,  two  or  three  witness- 
es established  any  matter  of  fact ;  hence,  two 
witnesses  here  means  a  sufficient  number  of 
true  Christians  to  testify  to  the  spirituality  and 
truth  of  the  Gospel  during  all  the  dark  ages  of 
Popery  ;  yet  they  would  prophesy  in  sackcloth, 
i.  e.,  mourning  on  account  of  persecution, 
etc. 

4.  ^^  These  are  the  two  olive-trees  and  the 
two  candlesticks  standing  before  the  God  of 
the  earth." 


98  THE    REVELATION    OF  ST.    JOHX. 

The  two  olive-trees,  furnishing  oil,  emblem- 
atize the  Holy  Spirit  anointing  and  sanctifying 
the  souls  of  God's  people ;  and  the  two  candle- 
sticks, the  Gospel,  illuminating  their  understand- 
ings and  consciences  ;  before  the  God  of  this 
world,  indicates  that  God  provided  and  takes 
care  of  these  means  of  grace  and  salvation. 

5.  ^'And  if  any  man  will  hurt  them,  fire 
proceedeth  out  of  their  mouth,  and  devoureth 
their  enemies  :  and  if  any  man  will  hurt  them, 
he  must  in  this  manner  be  killed." 

If  any  persons  should  be  angry  at  the  pure 
doctrines  of  these  two  witnesses,  and  persecute 
them,  God  would  rise  in  his  majesty  and  avenge 
the  wrongs  done  to  them. 

6.  ^^  These  have  power  to  shut  heaven,  that 
it  rain  not  in  the  days  of  their  prophecy  :  and 
have  power  over  waters  to  turn  them  to  blood, 
and  to  smite  the  earth  with  all  plagues,  as  often 
as  they  will." 

If  any  enemy  of  divine  truth  should  injure 
these  witnesses,  God  would  hear  their  prayers, 
and  take  vengeance  on  their  persecutors,  as  he 
did  concerning  his  j)rophets  in  ancient  times. 


THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.    J0H:N'.  99 

7.  ^'And  when  they  shall  have  finished  their 
testimony,  the  beast  that  ascendeth  out  of  the 
bottomless  pit  shall  make  war  against  them,  and 
shall  oyercome  them,  and  kill  them." 

I  think  the  awful,  diabolical  tragedy,  described 
in  this  verse,  was  acted  out  in  France  on  St. 
Bartholomew's  night,  A.  D.  1572,  when  over  ten 
thousand  Huguenots  in  Paris,  in  the  space  of 
three  days,  were  slaughtered,  and  over  one 
hundred  thousand  in  all  France,  in  the  space  of 
thirty  days,  were  murdered  in  all  horrible  ways. 
The  King  of  France  posted  sentinels  all  around 
France  to  keep  the  Huguenots  from  escaping ; 
in  this  he  exceeded  the  wickedness  of  Nero,  the 
heathen  persecutor  and  Emperor  of  Eome. 
Charles  the  IX  invited  the  Protestants  to  Paris 
under  promise  and  oath  of  safety,  on  the 
occasion  of  the  marriage  of  his  sister  to  the 
King  of  Navarre,  and  then  perpetrated  this 
fiendish  treachery.  Soon  afterwards,  Charles 
the  IX  died  of  a  slow  fever,  sweating  blood. 
The  Pope's  Legate  in  France  sent  him  an  account 
of  all  these  things,  and  the  whole  Eoman  Cath- 
olic world  rose  in  extasies  of  joy,  celebrating, 
giving  thanks,  etc.,  and  the  Pope  had  a  medal 
struck  to  commemorate  the  occasion.  Remem- 
ber the  two  witnesses  here  martyrized,  but  do 


100  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

not  cease  to  prophesy,  for  all  the  pious  were 
not  killed;  for  them  the  gates  of  hell  would 
have  prevailed  against  the  Church  of  Christ. 
A  few  pious  were  left  and  they  soon  increased, 
and  will  prophesy  till  all  "false  religions  come  to 
an  end ;  the  beast,  or  Eomish  hierarchy,  which 
originated  in  hell,  brought  about  tliis  awful 
slaughter. 

8.  *^And  their  dead  bodies  shall  lie  in  the 
streets  of  the  great  city,  which  spiritually  is 
called  Sodom  and  Egypt,  where  also  our  Lord 
was  crucified." 

''Their  dead  bodies  shall  lie,"  i.  e.,  the  fierce, 
fiendish  murderers  and  persecutors  of  these 
martyrs  would  show,  in  a  most  conspicuous  man- 
ner, all  manner  of  contempt  for  them,  terrify- 
ing into  silence  any  pious  persons  that  might 
remain  '^  in  the  streets  of  the  great  city,"  ^.  6., 
Anti-christian  city,  which  here  refers  to  the 
Western  Empire,  and  particularly  to  France,  as 
a  part  of  it,  as  that  country  has  been  Satan's 
arena  for  murdering  God's  people.  This  Anti- 
christian  city  is  called  Sodom,  for  its  impurity, 
and  Egypt,  for  its  unrelenting  cruelty  to  the 
helpless,  and  ''^where  our  Lord  was  crucified," 
for  enmity  to  the  holy  character  of  Christ. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  101 

9.  *'  And  they  of  the  people,  and  kindreds, 
and  tongues,  and  nations,  shall  see  their  dead 
bodies  three  days  and  a  half,  and  shall  not  suffer 
their  dead  bodies  to  be  put  in  graves." 

The  whole  popish  fraternity  retained  the 
memory  of  these  two  witnesses,  only  to  insult 
over  them,  three  prophetic  days  and  a  half,  i.  e.j 
three  years  and  a  half,  until  changes  took  place 
favorable  to  piety. 

10.  '^  And  they  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shail 
rejoice  over  them,  and  make  merry,  and  shall 
send  gifts  one  to  another,  because  these  two 
prophets  tormented  them  that  dwelt  on  the 
earth." 

The  Eomish  hierarchy  complimented  each 
other  while  exulting  over  the  murder  of  the  two 
witnesses — ^^ tormented  them;"  ^.  e.,  the  pure, 
humble,  and  spiritual  truths  of  the  Gospel  are 
always  torment  to  fanatics,  impostors,  etc. 

11.  ^^And  after  three  days  and  a  half  the 
spirit  of  life  from  God  entered  into  them,  and 
they  stood  upon  their  feet,  and  great  fear  fell 
upon  them  which  saw  them." 

In  a  short  time,  the  grace,  of  God  raised  up 


102  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

other  witnesses  to  fill  the  place  of  these  that 
had  been  murdered,  while  their  murderers 
were  terrified  to  see  that  God  had  prevented 
them  of  exterminating  the  true  Gospel,  and 
establishing  their  own  bigotry. 

12.  "And  they  heard  a  great  voice  from 
heaven,  saying  unto  them,  Come  up  hither.  And 
they  ascended  up  to  heaven  in  a  cloud,  and 
their  enemies  beheld  them." 

Charles  the  IX  and  Louis  the  XIV,  with  their 
coadjutors,  tried  hard  to  exterminate  true  piety, 
but  they  beheld,  with  anguish,  that  they  had 
only  sent  these  martyrs  home,  to  heaven,  sooner, 
and  grace  had  raised  up  multitudes  like  them, 
and  Providence  had  hedged  them  in  on  every 
side,  so  that  they  could  not  get  at  them  to 
slay  them. 

13.  "And  the  same  hour  there  was  a  great 
earthquake,  and  the  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell, 
and  in  the  earthquake  were  slain  of  men  seven 
thousand,  and  the  remnant  were  frightened  and 
gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven." 

"And  the  same  hour,"  i.  e,,  about  the  same 
time  of  the  slaying  of  the  witnesses,  there  was 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  J0H2^.  103 

a  great  (religious  and  political)  earthquake. 
"  The  tenth  part  of  the  city  fell/'  viz.,  England, 
which  was  one  of  the  ten  kingdoms  into  which 
the  Western  Empire  was  divided,  having  left  the 
Pope,  now  became  permanently  settled  on  other 
religious  basis,  and  in  the  earthquake  were  slain 
of  names  of  men  seven  thousand,  ^.  e.,  so  many 
popish  offices,  etc.,  vacated,  and  popish  posses- 
sions and  revenues  otherwise  disposed  of,  '^^and 
the  remnant  were  affrighted  "  at  the  sinking  of 
the  papal  authority,  ^'  and  gave  glory  to  the  God 
of  heaven,"  by  falling  in  with  the  Protestants. 
I  think  that  all  these  things  took  place  during 
the  sixteenth  century. 

14.  "The  second  woe  is  past,  and  behold  the 
third  woe  cometh  quickly." 

The  last  three  of  the  seven  trumpets  are  called 
woe  trumpets ;  now  the  second  one  of  the  three 
is  past,  also  the  little  book,  and  now  the  third 
and  last  woe  trumpet  comes  quickly.  We  have 
clear  traces  of  the  second  woe  trumpet  down  to 
A.  D.  1672. 

15.  "And  the  seventh  angel  sounded,  and 
there  were  great  voices  in  heaven,  saying.  The 
kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  king- 


104  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

doms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Olirist,  and  he  shall 
reign  forever  and  ever." 

The  seventh  trumpet,  of  course,  begins  where 
the  sixth  ends,  and  as  the  sixth  could  not  have 
ended  sooner  than  A.  D.  1672,  and  as  new  and 
great  events  began  in  A.  D.  1685,  I  think  the 
seventh  trumpet  must  have  sounded  betAveen 
these  two  dates.  The  seventh  trumpet  glances 
at  the  leading  events  until  the  end  of  all  things, 
and  the  seven  vials  are  the  emblems  of  seven 
trains  of  vengeance  on  the  enemies  of  true  re- 
ligion, until  the  millennium.  In  1685  the  edict 
of  Nantes  was  repealed.  This  edict  tolerated 
Protestants,  and  was  promulgated  by  Henry  IV 
of  France,  in  A.  D.  1598,  and  was  repealed  by 
Louis  the  XIV,  at  the  instance  of  the  Jesuits. 
Peace  and  liberty  of  conscience  were  torments 
to  the  Eomish  hierarchy.  The  Romish  adages 
were  terrible,  e.  g.,  ^'  There  is  no  fidelity  with  a 
heretic,"  i.  e.,  you  may  break  your  covenant,  oath, 
or  anything  else  Avith  a  Protestant,  with  impu- 
nity, provided  you  are  promoting  Popery.  And 
again,  ^^  The  end  justifies  the  means,"  t.  e.,  you  may 
get  up  wars,  blow  up  parliaments,  overturn  king- 
doms, etc.,  etc.,  if  by  so  doing  you  can  retard 
Protestantism  or  promote  Popery.     Tlie  Jesuits 


THE    KEYELATIOX    OF    ST.   JOHN.  105 

now  went  prowling  into  all  parts  of  the  world  to 
plant  popery,  and  uproot  everything  else,  being 
irritated  at  their  loss  of  territory  during  the 
Reformation.  But  at  the  sound  of  the  seventh 
trumpet,  voices  from  heaven  proclaimed  the  over- 
throw of  all  false  religions,  and  the  reign  of 
Christ  in  the  hearts  of  all  his  people  forever 
and  ever. 

16.  ^^  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  w^hicli 
sat  before  God  on  their  seats,  fell  upon  their 
faces  and  worshipped  God. " 

J!^ow  the  four  and  twenty  elders,  as  emblems 
of  the  whole  Church,  under  both  dispensations, 
fall  upon  their  faces  and  worship  God,  who.  has 
turned  the  thoughts  and  hearts  of  our  race 
from  false  worship. 

17.  ''  Saying,  we  give  thee  thanks,  0  Lord 
God  Almighty,  which  art,  and  w^ast,  and  art 
to  come,  because  thou  hast  taken  to  thee  thy 
great  power  and  hast  reigned." 

The  human  family,  now  converted,  thank  God 
for  resuming  his  place  in  the  hearts  of  mankind 
universally. 

18.  '^  And  the  nations  were  angry,  and  thy 
wrath  is  come,  and  the  time  of  the  dead,  that 


106  THE    EEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHX. 

they  should  be  judged,  and  that  thou  shouldest 
giye  reward  unto  thy  servants,  the  prophets, 
and  to  the  saints,  and  them  that  fear  thy  name, 
small  and  great,  and  shouldest  destroy  them 
which  destroy  the  earth." 

This  Terse  alludes  mainly  to  the  opposition  of 
the  Avicked  after  the  millennium,  and  just  before 
the  end  of  time,  when  Satan  is  to  be  loosed  a 
little  season.  Then  follows  the  resurrection, 
the  genei'al  judgment,  and  the  eternal  reward 
of  both  good  and  bad,  according  to  their  works. 

19.  '^  And  the  temple  of  God  was  opened  in 
heaven,  and  there  was  seen  in  his  temple  the  ark 
of  his  testament,  and  there  were  lightnings, 
and  voices,  and  thunderings,  and  an  earth- 
quake, and  great  hail." 

The  apostle  is  here  turned  back  to  the  early 
ages  of  the  New  Testament  dispensation.  John 
now  saw  the  ark  in  the  temple,  which  intimated 
that  he  was  now  to  have  a  particular  view  of  the 
inside  of  the  Church  since  the  apostolic  day. 
The  lightning,  voices,  tliunderings,  earthquake 
and  hail  denote  God's  judgments  on  the  corrupt- 
ors  of  Christianity,  and  the  religious  and  po- 
litical changes  which  follow.  This  verse  should 
have  been  the  first  verse  of  the  next  chapter. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN  107 


CHAPTER  XII. 

1.  ^^And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in 
heaven,  a  woman  clothed  with  the  sun,  and  the 
moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown 
of  twelve  stars." 

The  apostle  is  here  carried  back  to  the  primi- 
tive ages  of  the  Church,  under  the  New  Testa- 
ment dispensation,  to  review  and  examine  the 
interior  of  the  Church  in  the  times  of  heathen, 
imperial,  persecuting  Eome.  The  apostle  sees  a 
great  wonder  or  sign  in  heaven,  viz.,  a  woman 
raising  a  family,  as  an  emblem  of  the  spiritual 
Church  of  Christ  raising  up  spiritual  children  to 
Abraham.  This  figurative  woman  was  clothed 
with  the  sun,  as  a  type  of  the  Church  clothed 
with  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  for,  as  the  natural 
sun  cherishes  life  in  this  world,  so  Christ  cher- 
ishes life  in  all  his  redeemed.  The  moon  under 
the  feet  of  this  figurative  woman  denotes  that 
the  heart  and  treasure  of  the  Church  are  in 
heaven,  and  all  things  below   are  of  secondary 


108  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

consideration  witli  God's  people  ;  also  as  the 
moon  reflects  the  light  of  the  sun,  so  the  law  of 
Moses  reflected  the  heavenly  light  of  Christ  and 
his  Gospel  about  to  come.  On  the  head  of  this 
symbolical  woman  was  a  crown  of  twelve  stars, 
denoting  the  doctrines  of  the  twelve  apostles,  as 
the  head  ornament  of  the  Church. 

2.  '^And  she  being  with  child,  cried,  travail- 
ing in  birth,  and  pained  to  be  delivered." 

The  anguish  of  this  typical  mother  bearing 
her  children  was  a  type  of  the  persecutions, 
etc.,  under  which  the  Church  of  Clirist  bore  her 
spiritual  children  under  heathen,  imperial  Eome. 

3.  ^^And  there  appeared  another  wonder  in 
heaven ;  and  behold,  a  great  red  dragon,  having 
seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  seven  crowns 
upon  his  head." 

The  apostle  next  saw  another  wonder  in 
heaven,  of  an  opposite  character,  viz.,  ^^a  great 
red  dragon,"  denoting  heathen,  imperial  Rome, 
which  was  a  tremendous  tyrannical  power,  and 
its  rulers  have  always  prided  in  red  ;  and  heathen 
Rome  was  the  medium  through  which  Satan 
•opposed  the  Church  of  Christ  at  that  time;  like 


THE    KEYELATION    OF    ST.   JOHX.  109 

the  serpent  in  Paradise  was  the  medium  through 
which  the 'tempter  introduced  sin  into  the 
world.  This  dragon  had  seven  heads,  and  these 
heads  had  a  two-fold  meaning :  first,  the  seven 
hills  on  which  Eome  stands ;  secondly,  the  seven 
forms  of  government  through  which  the  Roman 
Empire  passed,  viz.,  kings,  consuls,  dictators, 
decemvirs,  military  tribunes,  emperors,  and 
exarchs.  The  ten  horns  denoted  the  ten  king- 
doms of  Europe,  into  which  the  Western  Em^oire 
was  divided  when  it  was  broken  up.  The 
crowns  being  on  the  heads,  and  not  on  the  ten 
horns,  shows  pointedly  that  heathen,  imperial 
Eome  is  meant  here,  and  not  Papal  Eome,  as 
we  shall  find  hereafter. 

4.  ^^And  his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the 
stars  of  heaven,  and  did  cast  them  to  the  earth : 
and  the  dragon  stood  before  the  woman  which 
was  ready  to  be  delivered,  for  to  devour  her 
child  as  soon  as  it  was  born." 

This  dragon's  tail,  drawing  the  third  part  of 
the  stars,  and  casting  them  to  the  earth,  denoted 
the  Eoman  Empire,  embracing  the  third  part  of 
the  then  known  world,  and  tyrannizing  over  it. 
^'The  dragon  stood  before  the  woman,"  ^.  e., 
heathen    Eome    watched    the    growth    of    the 


110  THE    EEYELATION    OF    ST.    JOHX. 

Christian  Clinrcli,  and  tried  to  keep  the  Chris- 
tians killed  off,  lest  they  should  get  possession 
of  the  empire,  and  heathenism  cease  to  he  the 
established  religion.  Their  policy  was  like 
Pharao's  with  the  Hebrews  in  Egypt. 

5.  ^^And  she  brought  forth  a  man-child, 
who  was  to  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod  of  iron: 
and  her  child  was  caught  up  unto  God,  and 
to  his  throne." 

'^  And  she,"  viz.,  the  Church,  brought  forth  a 
man-child,  viz.,  Constantine,  the  first  Christian 
emperor ;  and  he,  as  Christ's  vice-gerent,  was  to 
rule  all  nations,  for  the  Roman  Empire  had  all 
nations  in  it,  or  nations  of  all  kinds.  ^''With  a 
rod  of  iron,"  viz.,  crush  all  opposition,  ''"Her 
child  was  caught  up,"  etc.,  i.  e.,  God  in  his 
providence  preserved  and  sustained  Constan- 
tine, that  he  might  deliver  the  Church  from 
persecutions. 

6.  ^^  And  the  woman  fled  into  the  wilderness, 
where  she  hath  a  place  prepared  of  God,  that 
they  should  feed  her  there  a  thousand  two 
hundred  and  three  score  days." 

This  verse  anticipates  that  period  when  the 
great    body   of    the    Christian    Church    would 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHX.  Ill 

degX'iierate,  lose  the  soul  out  of  Cliristianity,  run 
into  Roman  Catholicism,  and  persecute  the  rem- 
nant of  true  Christians,  as  heathen  Rome  had 
previously  done.  The  remnant  of  true  Christians 
is  still  called  the  Woman.  '^And  fled  into  the 
wilderness,"  viz.,  into  obscure  places  to  escape 
popish  persecutions.  "That  they,"  viz.,  God's 
23rovidences,  ''should  feed  her  a  thousand  two 
hundred  and  three-score  days,"  i.  e,,  years.  See 
notes  on  Chap.  11:  2.  The  true  Church  existed 
under  the  names  of  the  Waldenses,  Albigenses, 
etc.,  during  all  the  dark  ages  of  Popery. 

7.  ''And  there  was  war  in  heaven:  Michael 
and  his  angels  fought  against  the  dragon ;  and 
the  dragon  fought  and  his  angels. " 

In  this  verse  the  struggle  between  Constantino 
and  the  heathen  powers  in  the  Roman  empire, 
for  the  imperial  authority,  is  compared  to  the 
war  in  heaven  between  Michael  and  Satan, 
when  many  of  the  angels  fell  and  became  devils. 
Michael  means,  who  is  like  God,  and  is  here  an 
emblem  of  Christ ;  and  the  dragon  is  an  emblem 
of  Satan,  the  leader  of  the  fallen  angels,  the 
tempter  in  Paradise. 

8.  "And  prevailed  not;  neither  was  their 
place  found  any  more  in  heaven." 


112  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

As  the  fallen  angels  lost  tlieir  places  in 
heaven,  so  did  the  heathen  emperors  in  Eome. 

9,  "And  the  great  dragon  was  cast  out,  that 
old  serpent,  called  the  Devil,  and  Satan,  which 
deceiveth  the  whole  world  :  he  was  cast  out  into 
the  earth,  and  his  angels  were  cast  out  with 
him." 

When  some  of  the  angels  in  heaven  revolted, 
they  were  utterly  rejected  ;  in  a  similar  manner 
the  heathen  rulers  were  utterly  rejected. 

10.  "And  I  heard  a  loud  voice  saying  in 
heaven,  Now  is  come  salvation  and  strength, 
and  the  kingdom  of  our  God  and  the  power  of 
his  Christ :  for  the  accuser  of  our  brethren  is 
cast  down  which  accused  them  before  our  God 
day  and  night. " 

The  joy  in  heaven,  when  the  rebellious  angels 
were  cast  out,  is  here  used  to  illustrate  the  joy 
in  the  Church  when  heathen,  imperial  Eome 
fell.  The  heathen  emperors  were  false  accusers, 
like  Satan,  e.  g. ,  Nero  fired  Rome,  and  played  the 
harp  while  it  was  burning,  that  he  might  enjoy 
a  likeness  of  Troy  burning,  and  then  pretended 
that  the  Christians  burnt  Rome,  in  order  to 
have  a  pretext  for  raising  a  persecution  against 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  113 

the  Christians.  A  dreadful  plague  prevailed  in 
heathen  Eome,  at  a  certain  time,  and  the  em- 
peror pretended  that  the  Christians  made  the 
plague,  and  so  raised  a  persecution  against  them. 
Jezebel  directed  her  subjects  to  proclaim  a  fast 
and  set  Naboth  on  high,  as  if  he  had  committed 
some  dreadful  sin,  and  then  stone  him  to  death 
and  seize  his  vineyard.  The  wicked  like  to  have 
character ;  hence  they  make  a  pretence  of  wrong 
on  the  part  of  others,  and  behind  this  pretence 
carry  on  their  own  hellish  wickedness. 

11,  ^^And  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their  testimony ; 
and  they  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death." 

The  Christians  overcame  heathen  Eome  by 
faith  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  adhesion  to 
the  word  of  their  testimony,  i.  e.,  the  Gospel, 
''and  loved  not  their  lives  unto  death,"  i.  e., 
sealed  their  testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  Gospel 
with  their  blood. 

12.  ''Therefore  rejoice,  ye  heavens,  and  ye 
that  dwell  in  them.  Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of 
the  earth,  and  of  the  sea  !  for  the  Devil  is  come 
down  unto  you,  having  great  wrath,  because  he 
knoweth  that  he  hath  but  a  short  time. " 


114  THE    REVELATION  OF    ST.  JOHN. 

The  heavens  are  called  upon  to  rejoice  at  the 
downfall  of  heathen,  persecuting  Eome ;  the  in- 
habiters  of  the  earth  and  of  the  sea  are  called 
on  to  be  aware  of  the  arch  fiend ;  for  he  would 
have  great  wrath,  looking  for  another  medium 
through  which  he  might  counteract  the  Church, 
and  at  the  same  time  knowing  that  he  has  but  a 
short  time,  i.  e.,  in  which  he  can  do  mischief. 
Even  all  time,  compared  with  eternity,  is  as 
nothinof. 


'O' 


13.  "And  when  the  dragon  saw  that  he  was 
cast  unto  the  earth,  he  persecuted  the  woman 
which  brought  forth  the  man-child." 

The  dragon,  i.  e.,  Satan,  through  the  rem- 
nants of  heathenism  in  Eome,  persecuted  the 
woman,  i.  e. ,  the  Church,  by  preventing  them 
of  becoming  educated,  and  sowing  heterodoxical 
opinions  among  them,  and  persecuting  the  or- 
thodox, etc.,  etc. 

14.  "And  to  the  woman  were  given  two  wings 
of  a  great  eagle,  that  she  might  fly  into  the 
wilderness,  into  her  place,  where  she  is  nourished 
for  a  time,  and  times,  and  half  a  time,  from  the 
face  of  the  serpent." 

The  woman  here  means  true  Christians,  and 


THE    EEYELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  115 

the  wings  of  a  great  eagle  mean  the  Eastern  and 
Western  Empires,  into  which  the  old  great 
Koman  Empire  was  divided  in  the  family  of 
Constantine,  the  eagle  being  the  ensign  of  the 
old  Eoman  Empire.  When  the  Papacy  arose,  the 
true  Church  existed  in  obscure  places  in  these 
two  empires,  dreading  popish  persecutions, 
^^for  a  time,  times,  and  half  a  time,"  which  is 
three  years  and  a  half,  or  forty-two  months,  or 
twelve  hundred  and  sixty  days,  i.  e.,  years.  (See 
Chap.  xi.  2.)  So  the  gates  of  hell  have  never 
been  permitted  to  exterminate  the  Church, 
though  they  have  reduced  it  very  low  several 
times  since  sin  entered  the  world. 

15.  "And  the  serpent  cast  ont  of  his  mouth 
water  as  a  flood,  after  the  woman,  that  he  might 
cause  her  to  be  carried  away  of  the  flood." 

The  flood  of  waters  which  the  serpent  cast  out 
of  his  mouth  means  the  invasions  of  the  Goths, 
Huns  and  Vandals,  under  Alaric,  Attila  and 
Genseric ;  by  these  Satan  aimed  to  kill  off  the 
rest  of  the  true  Christians  in  the  Eoman  Em- 
pire. 

16.  "  And  the  earth  helped  the  woman  ;  and 
the  earth  opened  her  mouth  and  swallowed  up 


11<^  THE    EEYELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN. 

the   flood  which   the   dragon   cast   out   of    his 
mouth." 

'^  The  earth  helped  the  woman,"  by  multi- 
tudes of  these  awful  invaders  falling  in  love  with 
the  climate  and  soil  of  Italy  and  its  surround- 
ings, and  either  remaining  or  returning,  and  be- 
coming assimilated  to  them,  and  at  least  nomi- 
nal Christians  to  a  considerable  extent.  The 
woman  still  means  here  the  true  Church,  and 
the  dragon,  the  medium  through  which  Satan 
operates. 

17.  '^  And  the  dragon  was  wroth  with  the 
woman,  and  went  to  make  war  with  the  rem- 
nant of  her  seed,  which  keep  the  command- 
ments of  God,  and  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus 
Christ." 

When  Satan  is  foiled  in  one  attempt,  he 
wheels  like  an  artful,  active  general,  and  tries 
another. 


THE   REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  117 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

1.  "And  I  stood  upon  the  sand  of  the  sea, 
and  saw  a  beast  rise  up  out  of  the  sea,  having 
seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  upon  his  horns 
ten  crowns,  and  upon  his  head  the  name  of  blas- 
phemy. " 

The  ten  crowns  upon  the  ten  horns  of  this 
beast  demonstrate  that  Papal  Rome  is  here 
meant,  and  that  the  idolatrous  persecuting  pow- 
er at  Rome  now  operates  through  the  ten  king- 
doms of  Europe,  into  which  the  Western  Empire 
was  divided  when  imperial  Rome  ceased ;  for 
then  Satan's  medium  and  vicegerent  was  the 
beast  with  seven  crowns  upon  seven  heads. 
Chap.  xii.  3  ;  but  now  ten  crowns  upon  ten 
horns.  Now  Papal  Rome  still  retains  the  name 
of  blasphemy,  such  as  My  Lord  the  Pope, 
Vice-God,  The  Vicar  of  the  Son  of  God,  etc.; 
while  under  imperial,  heathen  Rome  the  jDeople 
called  Rome  the  Eternal  City,  the  Goddess  of 
the  earth,  etc.;  and  altars,  temples,  etc.,  were 


118  THE    EEVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

assigned  to  it.  Papal  Eome  and  heathen,  im- 
perial Eome  both  agree  with  Daniel's  vision,  or 
dream:  Daniel,  yii.  7. 

2.  ^'  And  the  beast  which  I  saw  was  like  nnto 
a  leopard,  and  his  feet  were  as  the  feet  of  a  bear, 
and  his  mouth  as  the  month  of  a  lion:  and  the 
dragon  gave  him  his  power,  and  his  seat,  and 
great  authority." 

This  Romish  tyrannical  power  has  always  been 
such  a  monster  of  sin  that  no  one  wild  beast  was 
bad  enough  to  be  a  symbol  of  it.  In  this  verse 
Satan  transfers  his  power  from  heathen  Eome  to 
Papal  Eome. 

3.  ''  And  I  saw  one  of  his  heads  as  it  were 
wounded  to  death,  and  his  deadly  wound  was 
healed :  and  all  the  world  wondered  after  the 
beast." 

The  apostle  saw  one  of  the  heads  of  the  beast 
as  it  were  wounded  to  death,  L  e.,  one  of  the 
seven  forms  of  government  of  Eome,  viz.,  em- 
perors ;  for  the  imperial  power  of  Eome  expired 
with  Momyllus,  contemptuously  called  Augustus- 
lus,  i.  e.,  little  Augustus,  A.  D.  476,  and  Eome 
became  a  dukedom  to  the  Exarch  of  Eavenna  ; 
but  in  the  year  A.  D.  800  the  imperial  title  was 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  119 

renewed  in  Charlemagne,  i.  e.,  Charles  the  Great; 
hence  ''the  deadly  wound  was  healed."  After- 
wards, the  title  of  Emperor  of  Rome  passed  to  the 
emperor  of  Austria,  and  then  was  usurped  by 
Napoleon  Bonaparte;  and  afterwards  the  papal 
potentates  worked  to  the  Pope's  hand  to  get  his  in- 
fluence, and  the  Popes  worked  to  their  hand  to  get 
their  influence,  and  hence  all  the  world  wondered 
after  the  beast.  Tlierion,  a  wild  beast  of  prey 
here,  not  zoon,  a  domestic  animal,  as  in  Chap, 
iv.  6.  Under  Papal  Rome  they  worship  saints, 
angels,  images,  relics,  etc.;  and  under  Pagan 
Rome  they  worshipped  gods  of  wood,  stone, 
metal,  etc.,  but  both  are  the  same  persecuting 
idolatrous  power,  though  under  different  names. 

4.  ''And  they  worshipped  the  dragon  which 
gave  power  unto  the  beast :  and  they  worshipped 
tlie  beast,  sa3dng,  who  is  like  unto  the  beast  ? 
who  is  able  to  make  war  with  him  ? " 

*'  They  worshipped  the  dragon  which  gave 
power  unto  the  beast,"  i.  e.,  they  pay  a  blind 
veneration  now  to  Papal  Rome,  like  they  used  to 
pay  to  Pagan  Rome ;  both  of  which  are  Satan's 
mediums,  like  the  serpent  in  Paradise  was  ;  and 
Papal  Rome  has  been  so  powerful,  that  its  blind 
devotees  worshipped  the  beast,  and  said,  who  is 


120  THE    KEYELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

like  unto  the  beast  ?  who  is  able  to  make  war 
with  him  ?  Look  at  the  influence  of  papal  idol- 
atry and  superstition,  couched  under  the  name 
of  Christianity.  If  Christianity  was  not  the 
brightest  jewel  from  heaven  to  earth,  it  could 
not  be  counterfeited  to  carry  on  such  oceans  of 
wickedness.  (See  the  history  of  Koman  Catholic 
persecutions.) 

5.  '^  And  there  was  given  unto  him  a  mouth 
speaking  great  things  and  blasphemies ;  and 
power  was  given  unto  him  to  continue  forty  and 
two  months." 

The  Eomish  hierarchy  was  the  beast,  and  the 
Pope  the  image  of  the  beast;  which  image's 
mouth  spoke  blasphemies,  etc.,  eg.,  ^'  His  Holi- 
ness, Infallibility,  etc. ; "  and  this  monster  of  sin 
was  to  continue  forty  and  two  months,  or  twelve 
hundred  and  sixty  days,  ^.  e.,  years.  (See  Chap, 
xi.  2.) 

6.  ^^  And  he  opened  his  mouth  in  blasphemy 
against  God,  to  blaspheme  his  name,  and  his 
tabernacle,  and  them  that  dwell  in  heaven." 

This  man  of  sin  (2  Thess.  ii.  3)  carries  on 
with  all  implacable  malice  at  the  truly  godly, 
and  under  the  highest  pretences  to  holiness-  and 
delegated  authority  from  God. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHX.  121 

7.  "  And  it  was  given  unto  liim  to  make  war 
with  the  saints,  and  to  overcome  them:  and 
power  was  given  him  over  all  kindreds,  and 
tongues,  and  nations." 

Millions  of  the  very  "  salt  of  the  earth"  have 
been  martyrized  by  popish  bigotry ;  this  is  a  full 
comment  on  this  verse.  God  leaves  haters  of 
divine  truth  to  themselves  (2  Thess.  ii.  10  and 
Eomans  i.  28),  and  Satan  takes  possession  of 
them,  and  human  depravity  eagerly  yields  and 
complies;  hence  arises  imposture,  fanaticism,  etc. 

8.  "  And  all  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall 
worship  him,  whose  names  are  not  written  in 
the  book  of  life  of  the  Lamb  slain  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world." 

A  multitude  of  nations  and  tribes  run  after 
this  Eomish  fanaticism,  but  a  remnant,  accord- 
ing to  the  '* election  of  grace"  in  Christ,  the 
Lamb,  are  preserved.  Christ  always  was  cruci- 
fied in  the  purposes  of  God,  to  redeem  man, 
even  before  the  world  was  made. 

9.  ^^  If  any  man  have  an  ear  let  him  hear." 

The  evils  here  predicted  are  so  gigantic  and 
momentous   as   to  time  and  eternity  both,  that 


122  TUE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

all  are  called  upon  to  hear,  who  are  capable  of 
hearing. 

10.  ''  He  that  leadeth  into  captivity  shall  go 
into  captivity :  he  that  killeth  with  the  sword, 
must  be  killed  with  the  sword.  Here  is  the 
patience  and  the  faith  of  the  saints." 

When  fanatics  and  impostors  get  up  false  re- 
ligions, or  impose  them  on  others,  their  sin  in 
so  doing  is  the  measure  of  God's  wrath,  when 
he  metes  out  justice  to  all  such  transgressors. 
Those  awful  times  were,  and  always  are,  great 
trials  of  the  faith  and  patience  of  the  saints. 

11.  ''And  I  beheld  another  beast  coming  up 
out  of  the  earth,  and  he  had  two  horns  like  a 
lamb,  and  he  sj^ake  as  a  dragon." 

The  second  beast  came  up  out  of  the  earth 
silently  and  imperceptibly,  like  vegetation  grows 
up;  for  the  great  body  of  Christendom  degen- 
erated gradually  from  the  fourth  century  until 
the  first  part  of  the  seventh,  A.  D.  60G,  when 
the  emperor  Phocus  decreed  the  bishop  of  Kome 
universal  bishop  and  supreme  hea(J  of  the 
Church.  This  beast  has  two  horns,  viz.,  the 
regular  clergy,  i.  e.,  those  under  monastic  vows, 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN.  123 

and  the  secular  clergy,  i.  e.,  those  not  under 
monastic  yows;  the  horns  are  like  a  lamb,  i.  e., 
pretendedly  derived  from  Christ,  the  Lamb  of 
God;  so  this  beast  is  an  emblem  of  the  Romish 
hierarchy  from  its  beginning,  while  the  other 
beast  (v.  1)  was  an  emblem  of  the  temporal  and 
spiritual  authority  exercised  by  the  beast  in  the 
ten  j)apal  kingdoms  of  Europe.  This  beast  an- 
swers to  the  little  horn  full  of  eyes  (Dan.  vii.  8,) 
also  the  false  prophet  (Eev.  xiii.  16,  xix.  20). 
This  beast  also  speaks  as  a  dragon,  viz.,  with  all 
the  arrogance  and  tyranny  of  Pagan  Rome. 

12.  ^^And  he  exerciseth  all  the  power  of  the 
first  beast  before  him  and  causeth  the  earth  and 
them  which  dwell  therein  to  worship  the  first 
beast,  whose  deadly  wound  was  healed." 

This  two  horned  beast  exerciseth  all  the  pow- 
er of  the  first  beast  before  him;  the  Roman  hier- 
archy has  always  exercised  a  tremendous  influ- 
ence over  the  civil  goyernments  in  its  commu- 
nions, by  its  artful  fanatical  agents  and  emisar- 
ies.  Temporal  rulers  have  executed  the  hellish 
purposes  of  the  Romish  hierarchy,  and  it,  in  re- 
turn, has  caused  the  people  to  pay  a  blind  hom- 
age to  them;  'Hhence  worship  the  first  beast, 
whose  deadly  wound  was  healed." 


124  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

13.  "  And  he  doeth  great  wonders,  so  that  he 
maketh  fire  come  down  from  heaven  on  the 
earth  in  the  sight  of  men." 

This  tAVO  horned  beast  sustains  his  claims  by 
doing  wonders  in  the  sight  of  men,  i.  e.,  by 
falsehoods,  tricks,  jugglery,  and  perhaps  a  Sa- 
tanical  influence. 

14.  "  And  deceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  the 
earth  by  the  means  of  those  miracles  which  he 
had  power  to  do  in  the  sight  of  the  beast;  saying 
to  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  that  they  should 
make  an  image  to  the  beast,  which  had  a  wound 
by  a  sword,  and  did  live." 

The  Pope,  as  a  temporal  king,  is  the  image  of 
the  beast,  pagan  Eome  under  pagan  emperors, 
or  rather  the  pagan  emperors  themselves ;  and 
by  pretended  miracles  the  Pope  influences  the 
people  to  sustain  him. 

15.  "  And  he  had  power  to  give  life  unto  the 
image  of  the  beast,  that  the  image  of  the  beast 
should  both  speak,  and  cause  that  as  many  as 
would  not  worship  the  image  of  the  beast  should 
be  killed." 

The  Pope,  as  the  visible  head  or  image  of  the 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  125 

two  horned  beast,  by  the  agency  of  cardinals,  and 
with  the  concurrence  of  the  rest  of  the  frater- 
nity, makes  a  new  Pope  when  the  old  one  dies, 
and  so  clothes  him  with  all  the  hellish  arrogance 
and  pretensions  of  the  old  one.  This  is  giving 
^^life  to  the  image  of  the  beast."  Then  they  go 
on  with  the  former  persecutions  as  far  as  they 
can. 

16.  "  And  he  causeth  all,  both  small  and 
great,  rich  and  poor,  free  and  bond,  to  receive  a 
mark  in  their  right  hand,  or  in  their  foreheads." 

The  two  horned  beast  causeth  all  persons  of 
all  classes,  devoted  to  his  service,  to  receive  a 
mark,  i.  e.,  any  distinction,  showing  that  they 
belong  to  the  Popish  fraternity,  such  as  a  par- 
ticular kind  of  dress,  or  an  idolatrous  use  of  the 
cross,  instead  of  faith  in  Christ,  who  was  cruci- 
fied on  it,  and  obedience  to  his  Gospel;  in  such 
behavior  they  do  like  the  Hebrews,  who  made 
an  idol  of  the  ark,  instead  of  depending  on  God 
and  obeying  him  (1  Sam.  iv.  3).  In  ancient 
times  slaves  were  marked  or  numbered  to  show 
who  was  their  masters,  and  so  idolators,  to  show 
to  what  idol  they  were  devoted;  hence  ^^a  mark 
in  their  right  hand  or  in  their  foreheads. " 


126  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

17.  ''  And  that  no  man  might  buy  or  sell,  save 
he  that  had  the  mark,  or  the  name  of  the  beast, 
or  the  number  of  his  name." 

None  are  privileged  in  the  Romish  hierarchy, 
but  those  who  have  the  mark,  or  number  of  the 
beast;  this  number  is  the  amount  of  the  num- 
bers, designated  by  the  numerical  letters  in 
spelling  his  name. 

48.  '^  Here  is  wisdom.  Let  him  that  hath 
understanding  count  the  number  of  the  beast : 
for  it  is  the  number  of  a  man,  and  his  number 
is  six  hundred  three  score  and  six." 

The  Lord  here  offers,  by  the  apostle,  a  trial  of 
the  wisdom  of  him  that  has  understanding,  viz., 
in  deciphering  the  name  of  the  two  horned  beast, 
by  the  amount  of  the  numbers  denoted  by  the 
numerical  letters  in  spelling  his  name,  for  it  is 
the  number  of  a  man,  i.  e.,  such  a  number  as 
men  use,  and  denotes  a  man  of  some  partic- 
ular name,  title,  characteristics,  etc.,  and  his 
number  is  six  hundred  and  sixty-six.  The  New 
Testament  was  written  in  tlie  Greek  language, 
and  in  that  language  Lateinos  means  the  Latin 
man,  Latin  church,  Latin  language,  Latin 
government,    or   rulers,    etc.     Now   the   Greek 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  127 

letters,  answering  to  our  alphabet,  wliicli  spell 
Lateinos,  are  numerical,  and  the  amount  of 
the  numbers  denoted  by  them,  added  together, 
makes  just  six  hundred  and  sixty-six.  Now, 
the  Eomish  hierarchy  must  be  the  Lateinos  per- 
son, for  they  have  always  Latinized  everything, 
with  an  idolatrous  veneration  for  Latin.  The 
Eomans  emigrated  from  Latium,  a  country  in 
Italy,  and  their  language  took  its  name  from 
that  country. 

The  same  calculation  can  be  made  out  from 
the  Hebrew  word  Romiith,  which  means  Ro- 
mish or  Latin  rulers,  people,  or  Romish  any- 
thing else.  Irenaeus,  in  the  second  century, 
viewed  the  above  in  the  same  light. 


128  THE    EEVELATIOX    OF  ST.   JOHN. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

1,  '*  And  I  looked,  and  lo,  a  Lamb  stood  on 
tlie  Mount  Sion,  and  with  him  an  hundred 
forty  and  four  thousand,  having  His  Father's 
name  written  in  their  foreheads." 

The  apostle  is  here  called  to  look  at  an  emblem 
of  the  true  Church  during  all  the  dark  ages, 
viz.,  from  the  rise  of  Antichrist  to  the  dawn  of 
the  Reformation,  and  he  sees  a  lamb,  the  em- 
blem of  Christ,  on  Mount  Sion,  the  emblem  of 
the  Church,  and  the  significant  number  of  a 
hundred  and  fortj^-four  thousand  with  him, 
which  is  the  product  of  the  twelve  patriarchs, 
multiplied  by  the  twelve  apostles,  and  that  pro- 
duct multiplied  by  a  thousand,  intimating  the 
strength  and  honor  of  the  true  church  in  the 
wilderness  during  those  times  of  dreadful  per- 
secutions and  distresses ;  they  had  their  Father's 
name  written  in  their  foreheads,  denoting  that 
they  were  God's  peculiar  possession.  The  wor- 
shippers  of  the  beast,    and   of   idols,  and  the 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  129 

slaves,  were  all  marked,  showing  whose  posses- 
sion they  were. 

2.  ^' And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  as  the 
voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice  of  a  great 
thunder,  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  harpers  harp- 
ing with  their  harps." 

The  apostle  next  hears  their  celestial  devo- 
tions, for  though  the  Church  is  sorrowful,  it  is 
always  rejoicing,  and  glories  in  tribulation. 

3.  "And  they  sung  as  it  were  a  new  song 
before  the  throne,  and  before  the  four  beasts, 
and  the  elders,  and  no  man  could  learn  that 
song,  but  the  hundred  and  forty  and  four 
thousand  which  were  redeemed  from  the  earth." 

The  new  song  that  they  sung  was  redeeming 
love.  They  were  before  the  throne  of  God, 
and  before  the  beasts,  or  living  creatures,  the 
emblems  of  the  ministry,  and  before  the  elders, 
the  emblem  of  the  Church.  The  impenitent 
cannot  sing  this,  for  they  have  refused  redemp- 
tion. 

4.  "These  are  they  which  were  not  defiled 
with  women,  for  they  are  virgins ;  these  are  they 
which  follow  the  Lamb  whithersoever  he  goeth. 


130  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

These  were  redeemed  from  among  men,  being 
the  first  fruits  unto  Grod  and  unto  the  Lamb." 

These  holy  souls  were  virgins,  and  not  defiled 
with  women,  for  all  their  relations  to  women 
had  been  according  to  law  and  Gospel.  They 
had  not  professed  celebacy,  and,  behind  that 
profession,  lived  lives  of  impurity.  These  re- 
deemed take  up  their  crosses  and  follow  Christ, 
the  Lamb,  and  are  acceptable  to  God,  like  the 
first  fruits,  which,  as  an  offering,  brought  a 
blessing  on  the  harvest. — Exod.  xxii.  29. 

5.  "  And  in  their  mouth  was  found  no  guile, 
for  they  are  without  fault  before  the  throne  of 
God." 

This  holy  multitude  had  no  guile  or  fault, 
for  saints  fully  sanctified  are  as  holy  as  the 
angels  that  never  sinned. 

6.  '^  And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst 
of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to 
preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and 
to  every  nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and 
people." 

7.  '^  Saying  with  a  loud  voice.  Fear  God,  and 
ipve  glory  to  him,  for  the  hour  of  hiQ  judgment 


THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN.  131 

is  come,  and  worship  liim  that  made  heaven  and 
earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the  fountains  of  waters." 

This  angel  seems  to  be  an  emblem  of  the 
Waldenses  and  Albigenses,  who  retained  the  Gos- 
pel in  its  purity  during  the  dark  ages,  and, 
when  fleeing  from  papal  persecutions,  carried  it 
with  them,  and  so  were  the  germ  out  of 
which  the  Reformation  afterwards    sprung  up. 

8.  "  And  there  followed  another  angel,  say- 
ing, Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  that  groat  city, 
because  she  made  all  nations  drink  of  the  wine 
of  the  wrath  of  her  fornication." 

We  may  consider  this  second  angel  as  an  em- 
blem of  the  Bohemians  and  others  of  their  day, 
with  such  leaders  as  John  Huss  and  Jerome  of 
Prague,  in  the  fifteenth  century.  This  angel 
not  only  clings  to  Gospel  truth,  and  proclaims  it, 
but  announces  the  downfall  of  Babylon,  i.  e., 
Eome,  which  was  like  Babylon  in  wickedness, 
wealth  and  tyranny,  and  hence  the  Romish  hier- 
archy is  frequently  called  Babylon  in  this  book. 
It  is  to  fall  fatally,  because  it  made  all  nations 
drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  its  fornica- 
tions. Here  fornication  means  idolatry,  and 
wrath,  papal  tyranny,  and  wine,  papal  fanaticism, 


132  THE    EEYELATION    OF    ST.  JOHX. 

intoxicating  the  soul  like  wine  does  the  body, 
and  so  shedding  blood,  which  is  the  color  of  wine. 

9-11.  ^^  And  the  third  angel  followed  them, 
saying  with  a  lond  voice,  If  any  man  worship 
the  beast  and  his  image,  and  receive  his  mark  in 
his  forehead,  or  in  his  hand, — 

*^  The  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the 
wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mix- 
ture into  the  cup  of  his  indignation  ;  and  ho 
shall  be  tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone  in 
the  presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  Lamb." 

''And  the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth 
up  forever  and  ever  ;  and  they  have  no  rest 
day  nor  night,  who  worship  the  beast  and  his 
image,  and  whosoever  receiveth  the  mark  of  his 
name." 

AVe  may  consider  this  third  angel  an  emblem 
of  Luther,  Calvin,  Zwingle,  Melancthon,  and  all 
their  coadjutors  of  the  Reformation  of  the 
sixteenth  century.  These  reformers  came  out 
in  clear  and  pointed  language,  denouncing 
Popery  as  Antichrist,  and  proclaiming  eternal 
punishment,  at  the  hand  of  a  just  God,  as  the 
doom  of  all  who  participated  in  it,  and   these 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHX.  133 

tliroes  of  endless  anguisli  in  the  presence  of  the 
holy  angels,  and  the  Lamb,  Christ.  Here  is  a 
daguerreotype  of  God's  views  of  false  religion, 
and  of  his  final  disposal  of  all  the  devotees  of 
such  religions. 

12.  ^^Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints ;  here 
are  they  that  keep  the  commandments  ot  God, 
and  the  faith  of  Jesus." 

The  dangers  and  sufferings  that  God's  people 
had  to  undergo  under  the  reign  of  the  papal 
beasts  were  a  sore  trial  on  their  faith  and  obe- 
dience. 

13.  ^^And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  say- 
ing unto  me,  write,  blessed  are  the  dead  which 
die  in  the  Lord,  from  henceforth  ;  yea,  saith  the 
spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors,  and 
their  works  do  follow  them." 

This  verse  seems  to  be  styled  against  the 
Papal  doctrine  of  a  Purgatory,  and  teaches  that 
at  death  the  souls  of  the  righteous  go  imme- 
diately into  glory,  and  their  bodies  rest  in  the 
grave,  both  being  free  from  the  miseries  of  a 
sinful  world ;  and  all  this  implies  that,  at 
death,  the  wicked  go  immediately  into  their 
doleful  and  endless  abode. 


134  THE    KEVELATIOX    OF    ST.    JOHX. 

14-16.  ^'Andl  looked,  and  behold,  a  white 
cloud,  and  upon  the  cloud  one  sat  like  unto  the 
Son  of  man,  having  on  his  head  a  golden 
crown,  and  in  his  hand  a  sharp  sickle." 

''And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temj)le, 
crying  with  a  loud  Toice  to  him  that  sat  on 
the  cloud,  thrust  in  thy  sickle  and  reap ;  for 
the  time  is  come  for  thee  to  reap ;  for  the 
harvest  of  the  earth  is  ripe. 

''And  he  that  sat  on  the  cloud  thrust  in  his 
sickle  on  the  earth  ;  and  the  earth  was  reaped." 

"  Like  unto  the  Son  of  man  "  means  Christ, 
in  his  glorified  human  nature,  clothed  with  in- 
finite majesty,  about  to  execute  vengeance  on 
Antichrist ;  and  the  sharp  sickle  is  an  emblem 
of  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb  against  the  enemies 
of  his  cause.  The  angel  coming  out  of  the 
temple  is  an  emblem  of  the  Saviour's  minis- 
try, giving  the  alarm.  I  think  the  fulfill- 
ment of  these  symbols  will  be  an  awful 
attempt  made  by  the  combined  Roman  Cath- 
olic powers  to  regain  Rome  and  the  Papal 
States,  but  they  will  be  foiled.  Papal  fanat- 
ics are  here  compared  to  a  harvest  about  to 
be  cat  down ;  the  vintage  will  soon  follow. 
T    think    these    two    events    may   be   expected 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  135 

before  long,  and  certainly  inside  of  the  next 
two-thirds  of  a  century.  I  think  they  will 
also  he  near  the  junction  of  the  fifth  and 
sixth  vials. 

17-20.  ^^And  another  angel  came  out  of 
the  temple  which  is  in  heaven,  he  also  having 
a  sharp  sickle. 

"  And  another  angel  came  out  from  the  altar, 
which  had  power  over  fire,  and  cried  with  a 
loud  cry  to  him  that  had  the  sharp  sickle, 
saying,  thrust  in  thy  sharp  sickle,  and  gather 
the  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth ;  for  her 
grapes  are  fully  ripe. 

"And  the  angel  thrust  in  his  sickle  into  the 
earth  and  gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth,  and 
cast  it  into  the  great  winepress  of  the  wrath 
of  God. 

"  And  the  winepress  was  trodden  without  the 
city,  and  blood  came  out  of  the  winepress,  even 
unto  the  horse  bridles,  by  the  space  of  a  thou- 
sand and  six  hundred  furlongs. " 

The  angel  coming  out  of  the  temple  with  a 
sharp  sickle  is  an  emblem  of  the  Saviour's  ex- 
ecutioners equipped  for  their  work  ;  and  the 
angel  from  the  altar  which  had  power  over  fire 


136  THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN". 

is  an  emblem  of  the  Saviour's  lieralds,  showing 
tliat  the  fire  of  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb  requires 
the  sacrifice  of  the  anti-christian  vintage  on  the 
altar  of  divine  justice,  the  vintage  being  an 
emblem  of  the  enemies  of  the  Saviour's  Gospel. 
The  blood  of  Antichrist  will  then  flow  like  wine 
from  the  winepress,  "without  the  city,"  i.  e., 
outside  of  the  true  Church.  To  denote  the  fearful 
effusion  of  human  blood,  a  hyperbolical  exj^res- 
sion  is  here  used,  viz.,  unto  the  horse  bridles, 
by  the  space  of  a  thousand  and  six  hundred  fur- 
longs, i.  e.,  two  hundred  miles  ;  this  distance 
being  just  the  length  of  the  Papal  States  in  Italy, 
shows  that  they  are  to  be  the  battle  field. 
This  will  be  the  second  fearful  struggle  of  the 
combined  Eoman  Catholic  Powers  to  regain 
Eome  and  the  Papal  States,  but  they  will  fail 
again.  From  these  places  the  blood  of  the  martyrs 
cries  to  the  majesty  of  God,  like  the  blood  of 
righteous  Abel.  Eome  and  its  appendages  are 
the  idols  of  the  anti-christian  hierarchy,  and 
when  a  man  loses  his  God,  he  is  next  to  in- 
sane. The  reaping  of  the  harvest  and  vintage 
may  be  expected  shortly,  and  certain  before 
very  long  ;  the  state  of  affairs  in  and  about 
Eome  also  indicate  it,  for  the  old  Pope  and  his 
adherents  are  like  a  bear  robbed  of  her  whelps. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  137 


CHAPTER  Xy. 

1,  "And  I  saw  another  sign  in  heaven 
great  and  marvellous,  seven  angels  having  the 
seven  last  plagues  ;  for  in  them  is  filled  up  the 
wrath  of  God." 

The  apostle  here  sees  another  sign,  wonder- 
ful, and  prognosticating  great  future  events, 
viz.,  seven  trains  of  awful  future  events,  which 
symbolize  the  fatal  and  final  destruction  of  the 
beast  and  his  image,  i.  e.,  the  Eomish  hierarchy 
and  the  Pope.  These  seven  trains  of  events, 
intimated  by  the  seven  vials  of  wrath,  all  fall 
under  the  seventh  trumpet  ;  like  the  seven 
trumpets,  all  fall  under  the  seventh  seal.  The 
seven  vials  emblematize  particularly  the 
vengeance  of  God  on  the  papal  inijposture, 
which  utterly  exterminates  it. 

2.  "  And  I  saw  as  it  were  a  sea  of  glass 
mingled  with  fire,  and  them  that  had  gotten 
the  victory  over  the  beast,  and   over  his  image. 


138  THE  REVELATION   OF    ST.    JOHN. 

and  over  his  mark^  and  over  tlie  nnmber  of 
his  name,  stand  on  the  sea  of  glass,  having 
the  harps  of  God." 

Before  the  apostle  gives  the  emblems  of  the 
final  downfall  of  all  false  religions,  he  delays 
a  little,  in  order  to  describe  the  heavenly  emo- 
tion of  the  righteous  during  the  same  time. 
The  sea  of  glass  intimates  the  slippery  places, 
etc.,  through  which  these  holy  people  had  to 
pass  during  those  times,  and  the  fire,  mingled 
with,  or  in  the  glass,  denotes  the  fiery  trials 
through  which  they  had  to  pass  while  gaining 
the  victory  over  the  Eomish  Church,  the  Pope, 
the  peculiar  distinctions  of  the  Romish  impos- 
ture, and  the  number  of  his  name  or  government 
which  sustained  the  persecuting  power  at  Rome. 
Finally  they  obtained  the  harps  of  God. 

3.  "  And  they  sing  the  song  of  Moses,  the 
servant  of  God,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb,  say- 
ing. Great  and  marvellous  are  thy  works.  Lord 
God  Almighty ;  just  and  true  are  thy  ways, 
thou  King  of  Saints." 

"When  the  true  Christians  finally  escaped  papal 
imposture,  and  saw  its  utter  destruction,  they 
sung  glory  to  God  and  to  the  Lamb,  like  Moses 


THE    EEYELATION    OF    ST.  JOIIX.  139 

did  on  the  bank  of  the  Red  Sea,  while  beholding 
the  destruction  of  Pharao  and  his  hosts.  They 
wonder  at  God's  marvellous  works,  and  proclaim 
him  true  and  righteous,  and  address  him  as 
King  of  Saints. 

4.  ^^Who  shall  not  fear  thee,  0  Lord,  and 
glorify  thy  name,  for  thou  only  art  holy,  for 
all  nations  shall  come  and  worship  before  thee, 
for  thy  judgments  are  made  manifest." 

The  apostle  inquires  who  shall  not  fear  and 
glorify  God,  for  he  only  is  holy,  and  all  nations 
shall  come  and  worship  before  him,  because  his 
judgments  on  the  wicked  were  obvious. 

5.  '^'^  And  after  that  I  looked,  and  behold,  the 
temple  of  the  tabernacle  of  the  testimony  in 
heaven  was  opened." 

The  apostle  alludes  to  the  temple,  the  taber- 
nacle, the  holy  of  holies,  with  its  appendages, 
and  the  services  carried  on  there,  as  types  of 
Christ  and  our  salvation  in  heaven,  while  per- 
ceiving the  heavens  opened,  and  preparations 
for  great  coming  events. 

6.  ^^And  the  seven  angels  came  out  of  the 
temples,    having  the  seven  plagues,  clothed  in 


140  THE    EEYELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOIIX. 

pure  and  wliite  linen,  and  having  their  breasts 
girded  with  golden  girdles. " 

The  seven  angels,  with  the  seven  j^lagues,  de- 
note the  last  seven  trains  of  momentous  events, 
which  are  to  exterminate  all  false  religions  and 
purify  the  true  Church.  The  white  linen  and 
golden  girdles  denote  their  holy  exaltation,  as 
God's  messengers. 

7.  "  And  one  of  the  four  beasts  gave  unto  the 
seven  angels  seven  golden  vials  full  of  the  wrath 
of  God,  who  liveth  forever  and  ever. " 

One  of  the  four  zoe  (living  creatures),  giving 
the  vials  to  the  angels,  denotes  that  the  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel  would  be  used  as  the  means  of 
destroying  imposture  and  fanaticism  from  the 
earth,  as  the  zoe  were  the  emblems  of  the  min- 
istry of  the  Church  on  earth. 

8.  ^^And  the  temple  was  filled  with  smoke 
from  the  glory  of  God,  and  from  his  power, 
and  no  man  was  able  to  enter  into  the  temple 
till  the  seven  plagues  of  the  seven  angels  were 
fulfilled." 

The  temple  filled  with  smoke  denotes  the 
whole  church,  to  some  extent  deficient  and  im- 
pure. The  same  events  that  destroy  false  re- 
ligions will  also  purify  the  true  Church. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN.  141 


CHAPTEE  XVI. 

1.  *'And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  the 
temple,  saying  to  the  seven  angels,  go  your  Avays, 
and  pour  out  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God  upon 
the  earth." 

The  great  voice  from  the  temple  is  either 
from  the  Saviour  himself,  or  some  special  agent 
of  his,  and  commands  the  seven  angels  to  pour 
out  the  seven  symbolic  vials  of  God's  wrath  on 
the  earth,  for  the  destruction  of  the  anti-chris- 
tian  power  at  Eome. 

2.  "  And  the  first  went  and  poured  out  his 
vial  upon  the  earth,  and  there  fell  a  noisome  and 
grevious  sore  upon  the  men  which  had  the  mark 
of  the  beast,  and  upon  them  which  worshipped 
his  image." 

The  first  angel  pouring  out  his  vial  upon  the 
earth  denotes  the  Eomish  hierarchy  losing  con- 
trol over  important  parts  of  the  earth's  surface, 
by  the  Eeformation   of   the   sixteenth   century 


142  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHX. 

and  the  first  part  of  the  seventeenth.  The 
papal  imposture  lost  all  of  England,  some  of 
the  German  States,  and  other  points  of  less 
note.  The  effect  of  this  vial  was  that  the  wor- 
shippers of  the  (Eomish)  beast  and  his  image 
(the  Pope)  endured  a  grievous  sore,  particularly 
on  their  minds,  to  think  that  their  pretended 
Vicar  of  the  Son  of  God,  etc.,  should  be  mus- 
tered out  of  service,  as  a  nuisance  to  soul  and 
body,  in  these  important  countries.  I  only  give 
the  date  of  this  vial,  and  the  leading  events 
which  fulfill  it,  but  in  this  little  volume  I  must 
refer  the  reader  to  the  history  of  those  times  for 
the  rest. 

3.  ^^  And  the  second  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
upon  the  sea,  and  it  became  as  the  blood  of  a 
dead  man,  and  every  living  soul  died  in  the 
sea." 

The  second  angel,  pouring  out  his  vial  upon 
the  sea  and  its  effects,  denote  the  fierce  effects 
whicli  the  papal  imposture  made  to  gain  new 
territory,  to  make  up  for  its  loss  by  the  Eefor- 
mation,  during  nearly  all  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury and  tlie  major  part  of  the  eighteenth,  but 
with  disastrous  and  bloody  effects.  Antichrist 
sent  out  the  Jesuits  into  all  parts  of  the  earth, 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN  143 

like  emissaries  of  Satan,  in  tlie  garb  of  lawyers, 
painters,  teachers,  missionaries,  etc.,  and  these 
wretches  insinuated  themselves  into  all  high 
places,  and  their  continual  effort  was  to  allure 
and  press  governments  and  peoples  over  to  Po- 
pery. Every  country  that  tolerated  them  came 
to  nothing,  or  sunk  into  degradation.  They 
considered  war,  treachery,  murder,  etc.,  all 
right,  so  it  promoted  the  Papacy.  As  soon  as 
the  Japanese  and  Chinese  saw  what  they  were 
after,  they  killed  off  all  that  did  not  make  their 
escape,  and  closed  their  ports  for  a  long  time 
against  all  foreigners.  These  Jesuits  also  strove 
hard  in  Africa  and  South  America,  but  it  is 
doubtful  whether  they  made  the  people  any  bet- 
ter in  these  places  than  they  were  before.  The 
inquisitions,  mummeries,  monkeries,  etc. ,  played 
their  part,  with  the  outsides  painted  and  var- 
nished, like  white  sepulchres,  but  the  inside  full 
of  murder,  impurity  and  carnal  indulgence.  For 
further  knowledge  read  the  history  of  the  wars, 
inquisition,  etc.,  in  those  times. 

4.  ''And  the  third  angel  poured  out  his, vial 
upon  the  rivers  and  fountains  of  water,  and 
they  became  blood." 

The  third  angel,  pouring  out  his  vial  upon  the 


144  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

rivers  and  fountains  of  water,  points  out  the 
drjdng  up  of  the  popish  revenues,  also  the  mur- 
ders and  wars  during  the  last  of  the  eighteenth 
and  the  first  part  of  the  nineteenth  centuries, 
viz.,  the  seventy  days  of  the  reign  of  terror  in 
France  and  the  wars  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte. 
They  molded  papal  images  into  coin,  and  their 
bells,  etc. ,  into  cannon,  and  turned  their  churches 
into  barracks  for  soldiers,  and  killed  whomso- 
ever dared  to  demur.  Bonaparte  also  imprisoned 
the  Pope,  and  blew  the  inquisition  in  Spain 
into  atoms.  Eead  the  history  of  those  times 
and  events,  for  the  object  of  this  little  volume 
is  to  give  the  dates  and  leading  events  in  their 
natural  order,  w^hich  the  prophetic  part  of 
Eevelations  foretells. 

5.  ^^  And  I  heard  the  angel  of  the  waters  say, 
thou  art  righteous,  0  Lord,  which  art,  and  wast, 
and  shall  be,  because  thou  hast  judged  thus." 

The  angel  that  presided  over  the  waters  give 
glory  to  the  eternal  God,  because  he  judged 
thus. 

0.  ^^  For  they  have  shed  the  blood  of  saints 
and  prophets,  and  thou  hast  given  them  blood 
to  drink,  for  they  are  worthy." 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  145 

Tlie  same  angel  of  the  waters,  or  people, 
recognize  the  justice  of  God,  in  giving  blood  to 
drink.  To  this  anti-christian  power  France  has 
always  been  the  especial  slaughter  pen  of  God's 
people,  and  now  He  repays  them. 

7.  "  And  I  heard  another  out  of  the  altar  say, 
even  so,  Lord  God  Almighty,  true  and  righteous 
are  Thy  judgments." 

Another  angel  from  the  altar  joins  the  decision 
of  the  former  angel,  praising  God  for  His 
fidelity  to  His  church,  in  punishing  its  persecu- 
tors. 

8.  ^^  And  the  fourth  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
upon  the  sun,  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to 
scorch  men  with  fire." 

The  fourth  angel,  pouring  out  his  vial  upon 
the  (papal)  sun,  with  its  effect,  denotes  the 
wide  and  bold  spreading  of  the  gospel,  by  home 
and  foreign  missionaries,  during  the  last  two- 
thirds  of  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
and  all  this  scorched  the  fanatical  feelings  of 
popish  bigots. 

9.  "  And  men  were  scorched  with  great  heat, 
and  blaspliemed  the  name  of   God,  which  hath 


146  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN. 

power  over  these  plagues,  and  tliey  repented  not 
to  give  liim  glory." 

The  great  spread  of  the  pure  gospel  in  the 
above  mentioned  period  tortured  the  mind  of 
the  papal  beast,  like  great  heat  tortures  the  body. 
But  they  only  blasphemed  the  name  of  God,  by 
their  fanatical  means  and  pretensions,  instead 
of  repenting  and  reforming. 

10.  ^^  And  the  fifth  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
upon  the  seat  of  the  beast,  and  his  kingdom  was 
full  of  darkness,  and  they  gnawed  their  tongues 
for  pain." 

The  fifth  angel  jDOured  out  his  vial  upon  the 
seat  of  the  beast,  even  the  city  of  Rome  itself 
and  the  Papal  States.  This  vial  began  to  be 
very  visibly  poured  out  in  1848,  when  the  Pope 
run  off  from  his  seat,  and  Louis  l^apoleon 
placed  40,000  French  soldiers,  under  40  gener- 
als, at  Rome,  in  order  to  brace  up  the  old  Pope 
on  his  pretended  chair  of  St.  Peter;  and  the 
same  vial  was  more  tremendously  poured  out  in 
1870,  when  Louis  Napoleon  withdrew  his  sol- 
diers from  Rome,  to  fight  the  King  of  Prussia 
and  Germany,  and  all  the  Pope's  subjects  rose 
up  and  transferred  his  dominions    to    Victor 


THE   REVELATION    OF   ST.  JOHN.  14? 

Immannel,  King  of  Italy,  and  lie  moved  his 
capital  into  Rome.  The  Popish  hierarchy  was 
now  full  of  (mental)  darkness,  they  knew  not 
what  to  do,  and  they  gnawed  their  tongues  for 
(mental)  pain,  i.  e.,  inward  anguish  of  mind, 
to  see  their  pretended  yice-god  turned  out  of 
the  door. 

11.  '^And  blasphemed  the  God  of  Heaven, 
because  of  their  pains  and  their  sores,  and  re- 
pented not  of  their  deeds." 

The  old  monster  of  sin,  and  his  adherents, 
blasphemed  the  God  of  Heaven,  viz.,  they  called 
an  Ecumenical  Council,  and  passed  the  degree  of 
infallibility  on  the  old  papal  image  of  the  beast. 
Their  (mental)  pains  and  sores  tormented  them, 
but  they  clung  to  their  old  wicked  ways. 

12.  "And  the  sixth  angel  poured  out  his  vial 
upon  the  great  Eiver  Euphrates,  and  the  water 
thereof  was  dried  up,  that  the  way  of  the  Kings 
of  the  East  might  be  prepared. " 

The  sixth  vial  may  be  expected  sometime  during 
the  first  half  of  the  twentieth  century,  or  perhaps 
a  little  earlier.  Some  mishap  will  befall  the 
Turkish  Empire,  perhaps  the  Czar  of  Russia  and 
the  King  of  Prussia  (now  the  Emperor  of  Ger- 


148  THE    EEYELATION  OF    ST.  JOHN. 

many)  will  get  up  some  farce  for  the  world  to 
look  at  and  jump  on,  and  divide  the  Turk- 
ish Empire  between  them,  and  this  and  other 
circumstances  will  jar  the  Turkish  faith  in 
Mohammedanism.  The  way  will  thea  be  open 
for  the  Eomish  hierarchy  to  deceiye  and  entice 
them,  and  the  nations  around  and  east  of  them 
to  get  them  to  join  papal  hosts,  and  go  up  to 
Jerusalem  to  rob  the  Jews,  who  will  then  have 
acknowlegded  Christ  as  the  Messiah,  and  return 
to  Jerusalem  with  vast  quantities  of  most  valu- 
able portable  wealth,  but  God  will  give  the 
invading  hosts  a  fearful  overthrow.  Tor  a  nice 
description  of  this  battle  read  carefully  the  38th 
and  39th  chapters  of  Ezekiel,  also  Joel  3  and  17. 
The  prophet  Joel  says  this  battle  will  be  fought  in 
the  Valley  of  Jehoshaphat.  This  name  does  not 
necessarily  locate  the  battle,  but  intimates  that 
Jehovah  will  preside  as  sovereign  over  it,  for  the 
first  two  syllables  of  the  name  Jehoshaphat  are  a 
modification  of  the  name  Jehovah,  and  the  last 
two  is  a  Hebrew  word,  signifying  to  judge. 
This  mode  of  expression  is  common  in  the  He- 
brew language. 

13.   '^And  I  saw  three  unclean  spirits,  like 
frogs,  come  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  dragon, 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  149 

and  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast,  and  out  of 
the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet." 

The  dragon,  the  beast  and  the  false  prophet 
are  significant  titles  of  the  papal  hierarchy, 
which  will  send  out  three  classes  of  wicked  em- 
issaries, such  as  the  Jesuits,  and  here  called 
three  frogs,  sent  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  beast 
in  order  to  deceive  the  Eastern  nations,  and  get 
them  to  join  the  Popish  invasion  of  Jerusalem 
and  Canaan,  when  the  Jews  return  to  their  own 
land. 

14.  '^For  they  are  the  spirits  of  devils,  work- 
ing miracles,  which  go  forth  unto  the  kings 
of  the  earth,  and  of  the  whole  world,  to  gather 
them  to  the  battle  of  that  great  day  of  God 
Almighty." 

These  frog  emissaries  of  the  Eomish  Church 
will  use  legerdemain,  magic  arts,  tricks,  etc.,  in. 
order  to  beguile  the  nations  to  join  them  in 
their  hellish  enterprises,  but  the  day  will  be 
God's,  and  he  will  give  the  invaders  an  awful 
overthrow. 

15.  "Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.  Blessed  is 
ne  that  watcheth,  and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest 
he  walk  naked,  and  they  see  his  shame." 


150  THE    REVELATION    OP   ST.  JOHN. 

Jehovah  intimates  to  all  his  people  that  the 
approach  of  his  vengeance  will  be  unexpected, 
and  that  they  must  be  always  at  the  post  of 
duty^  in  order  to  avoid  the  disgrace  of  sin. 

16.  ^' And  he  gathered  them  together  into  a 
place  called  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  Armageddon." 

The  Pope,  with  his  hellish  coadjutors  and  ma- 
rauders, will  assemble  the  whole  host  to  a  place 
called  Armageddon,  which  is  a  contraction  of 
Auranu,  to  elevate,  and  megeddo,  the  name  of  a 
stream  of  water  in  the  northwest  of  Canaan, 
where  Debora  and  Bareck  defeated  Jabin  and 
Sisera,  and  where  Pharaonecho  defeated  and 
mortally  wounded  King  Josiah,  so  th*at  the  name 
Armageddon  does  not  necessarily  locate  the 
battle  ground,  but  rather  describes  the  great 
destruction  of  human  life  in  the  battle  ;  yet 
this  battle  will  be  somewhere  in  the  Land  of  Ca- 
naan, and  probably  near  Jerusalem. 

17.  '^  And  the  seventh  angel  poured  out  his 
vial  into  the  air,  and  there  came  a  great  voice 
out  of  the  temple  of  heaven,  from  the  throne, 
saying,  it  is  done." 

The  seventh  vial  poured  into  the  air  denotes 
the  destruction  of  all  false  religions,  even  to  the 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  151 

last  remnants.  The  battle  of  Armageddon  will 
give,  the  fatal  blow  to  Popery,  Mohammedanism 
and  Heathenism,  and  the  Jews  will  have  believed 
in  Christ ;  hence  the  four  great  obstacles,  in  the 
way  of  the  millennium,  will  be  removed,  and 
the  seventh  vial  will  thus  purify  the  human 
mind  of  all  remaining  false  faiths,  like  the  air 
may  be  purified  from  malaria;  hence  a  voice 
from  the  throne  says,  it  is  done.  As  Satan  is 
said  to  be  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air, 
this  vial  is  poured  into  his  seat,  and  may  be  ex- 
pected during  the  last  half  of  the  20th  century. 

18.  "And  there  were  voices,  and  thunders 
and  lightnings,  and  there  was  a  great  earth- 
quake, such  as  was  not  since  men  were  upon  the 
earth,  so  mighty  an  earthquake,  and  so  great." 

The  voices,  thunders  and  lightnings  are  em- 
blems of  God's  displeasure,  directed  against  the 
anti-christian  powers,  and  the  great  earthquake 
is  especially  religious,  overthrowing  all  godless 
views,  efforts,  etc. 

19.  "And  the  great  city  was  divided  into 
three  parts,  and  the  cities  of  the  nations  fell : 
and  great  Babylon  came  in  remembrance  before 
God  to  give  unto  her  tlie  cup  of  the  wine  of  the 
fierceness  of  his  wrath." 


152  THE    EEYELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

The  great  anti-christian  city  was  divided  into 
three  parts,  i.  e.,  by  intestine  feuds  between  the 
three  elements  comjoosing  the  invading  army, 
viz.,  Popery,  Mohammedanism  and  Heathen- 
ism— like  the  feuds  among  the  Jews  when  the 
Eomans  besieged  Jerusalem  and  fatally  ruined 
it,  and  the  (godless)  cities  of  the  (wicked)  na- 
tions fell,  and  great  Babylon,  i.  e.,  the  Romish 
persecuting  power,  came  into  remembrance 
before  God,  to  give  unto  her  (as  a  punishment) 
the  cup  of  the  wine,  i.  e.,  the  measure  of  pun- 
ishment for  her  sins.  Blood  is  here  compared 
to  wine,  because  they  are  both  red.  The  fierce- 
ness of  God's  wrath  against  Antichrist  brings 
these  thino's  about. 


'O" 


20.  '^'^x^nd  every  island  fled  away,  and  the 
mountains  were  not  found." 

And  every  island  (as  to  false  religions)  fled 
away,  and  the  mountains  (of  opposition  to 
the  pure  gospel)  were  not  found. 

21.  '^^And  there  fell  upon  men  a  great  hail 
out  of  heaven,  every  stone  about  the  weight  of  a 
talent :  and  men  blasphemed  God  because  of  the 
plague  of  the  hail,  for  the  plague  thereof  was 
3xceedingly  great. " 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  153 

And  tnere  fell  upon  (wicked)  men  a  great  hail 
(of  God's  wrath),  but  they  blasphemed,  instead 
of  repentance  and  reformation.  Punishment 
only  reclaims  when  it  is  especially  sanctified  to 
the  transgressoi. 


154  THE   REVELATION   OF   ST.  JOHN. 


CHAPTEE  XVIL 

1,  "And  there  came  one  of  the  seven  angels, 
which  had  the  seven  vials,  and  talked  with  me, 
saying  unto  me,  come  hither  ;  I  will  show  unto 
thee  the  judgment  of  the  great  whore  that  sit- 
teth  upon  many  waters." 

Before  leaving  the  final  destruction  of  the 
anti-christian  power,  the  apostle  gives  further 
particulars  of  that  monster  of  sin,  and  still  uses 
symbolic  language.  The  Eomish  Church  ex- 
plains all  these  awful  wicked  things  of  heathen 
Rome;  but  this  is  absurd,  for  heathen  Rome 
only  lasted  twelve  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
years — from  the  first  of  Romulus  to  the  last  of 
Augustulus,  i.  e.,  little  Augustus,  whose  right 
name  was  Momillus,  and  the  last  potentate  of 
heathen  Rome;  but  this  anti-christian  Rome 
lasts  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years.  In  this 
verse,  papal  Rome  is  compared  to  a  tremendous 
woman  of  ill-fame,  faithless  to  marriage  vows, 
detestable  in  her  character  and  habits,  and  de- 
structive to  all  that  suffer  themselves  to  be 


THE   EEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHX.  155 

allured  by  her.  She  sits  on  many  waters,  which 
are  an  emblem  of  many  nations  and  millions  of 
people,  allured  and  tyrannized  over  by  popish 
impostures. 

2,  '^With  whom  the  kings  of  the  earth  have 
committed  fornication,  and  the  inhabitants  of 
the  earth  have  been  made  drunk  with  the  wine 
of  her  fornication." 

The  kings  of  the  earth  committed  (spiritual) 
fornication,  i.  e.,  idolatry,  with  this  horrid  wo- 
man, in  lending  their  power  and  influence  to 
support  popish  fanaticism,  with  all  its  shocking 
concomitants  ;  and  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  have  been  made  (morally)  drunken  in  sin, 
by  supporting  papal  idolatry,  etc.,  like  an  intem- 
perate man  gets  drunk  on  wine,  etc. 

3,  ^^So  he  carried  me  away  in  the  spirit  in 
the  wilderness  :  and  I  saw  a  woman  sit  upon  a 
scarlet-colored  beast,  full  of  names  of  blasphemy, 
having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns." 

The  angel  appeared  to  carry  the  apostle  away, 
under  the  extraordinary  influence  of  the  Spirit, 
into  tlie  (anti-christian)  wilderness,  into  which 
the  Eomish  Church  had  changed  nearly  all 
Christendom,   and   there  John    saw,   with  the 


156  THE    EEYELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

eyes  of  his  mind,  or  soul,  a  woman,  i.  e.,  the 
Romish  Church,  sit  upon  a  scarlet-colored  beast, 
i.  e.,  the  temporal  power  of  Eome,  and  such 
others  as  support  the  Romish  hierarchy.  Scarlet 
color  has  always  been  the  special  taste  of  all  the 
leading  men  in  the  State  and  Church  at  Rome. 
The  names  of  blasphemy  denote  the  Heayen-dar- 
ing  arrogance  and  pretensions  of  the  Papacy. 
(See  chap.  12  &  13.)  The  seven  heads  still  refer 
to  the  seven  hills  on  which  Rome  stands,  and  the 
seven  forms  of  government  (aside  from  the  gov- 
ernments of  Popes)  which  have  existed  at  Rome, 
the  government  of  Popes  being  the  eighth,  and 
is  of  the  seven,  i.  e.,  if  po^^ish  tyranny  is  so  like 
the  tyranny  of  heathen  em23erors  that  it  is  no 
use  to  call  them  two  forms  of  government,  then 
popish  tyranny  is  the  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven. 
(See  V.  11.)  The  ten  horns  still  refer  to  the  ten 
kingdoms  of  Europe,  into  which  the  Western 
empire  was  divided  when  it  was  broken  up. 

4.  ^'And  the  woman  was  arrayed  in  purple 
and  scarlet  color,  and  decked  with  gold  and 
precious  stones  and  .pearls,  having  a  golden  cup 
in  her  hand  full  of  abominations  and  filthiness 
of  her  fornication." 

This  emblematic  woman,  papal    fanaticism, 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  157 

was  clothed  in  regal  apparel,  and  decked  or 
gilded  with  gold  and  gems,  silver  being  consid- 
ered too  coarse  and  cheap.  As  women  of  ill- 
fame  give  love-drinks  to  their  paramours,  so 
this  popish  woman  has  a  golden  cup  in  her  hand, 
full  of  abominations  and  filthiness  of  her  forni- 
cations, referring  to  papal  allurements,  idolatry, 
impurity,  blind  bigotry,  etc. 

5.  *^  And  upon  her  forehead  was  a  name  writ- 
ten. Mystery,  Babylon  the  Great,  the  mother  of 
harlots  and  abominations  of  the  earth." 

In  ancient  times  harlots  labeled  their  fore- 
heads, that  men  of  impurity  might  recognize 
them,  and,  in  accordance  with  this  custom,  the 
emblem  of  the  Eoman  Catholic  Church  is 
labeled  on  the  forehead.  Eespectable  writers 
say  that,  before  the  Eeformation,  the  Pope  had 
the  word  Mystery  inscribed  in  letters  of  gold  on 
the  front  of  his  mitre  ;  and  the  Eomish  Church 
is  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  and  would  have 
arisen  in  the  days  of  the  apostle  Paul,  only 
the  persecutions  of  heathen  Imperial  Eome  kept 
the  Church  pure  (see  2  Thes.  2,  3  :  11),  for  the 
Eomish  Church  answers  the  description  in  every 
way.  The  same  woman  is  called  Babylon  the 
Great,  for  the  Pope,  with  his  mitre  and  coadju- 


158  THE    REVELATION    OF  ST.   JOHN. 

tors,  exceed  literal  Babylon  in  idolatry,  tyranny, 
luxury,  wealth,  etc.  Literal  Babylon  wor- 
shipped images,,  but  mystic  Babylon,  i.  e.,  the 
Eomish  Church,  worships  Mary,  Peter,  saints, 
angels,  relics,  popes,  as  well  as  images — all  of 
which  is  idolatry.  (See  Exod.  20:  3-7.)  The 
same  typical  woman  is  called  the  mother  of  har- 
lots and  abominations  of  the  earth,  as  exceeding 
them  all  in  wickedness.  The  great  mass  of  the 
people  see  the  (varnished)  outside  of  the  Eoman 
Catholic  Church,  but  do  not  get  to  see  the  inner 
recesses  of  the  inquisition,  nunneries,  monker- 
ies, etc.,  etc.,  and  their  eyes  are  dazzled  with 
the  former,  but  blind  to  the  latter.  ^ 

6.  ^^  And  I  saw  the  woman  drunken  with  the 
blood  of  the  saints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the 
martyrs  of  Jesus  :  and  when  I  saw  her,  I  won- 
dered with  great  admiration." 

The  apostle  was  amazed  to  see  this  woman,  the 
popish  imi3osture,  spiritually  drunken  on  sin,  by 
murdering  the  saints  and  martyrs  of  Jesus,  and 
yet  pretending  to  be  the  Church,  mother  Church, 
&c.,  &c. 

7.  '^And  the  angel  said  unto  me,  wherefore 
didst  thou  marvel  ?    I  will  tell  thee  the  mystery 


THE    REVELATION    OF   ST.  JOHN.  159 

of   tlie  woman,  and  of  the  beast  that  carrieth 
her,  which  hath  the  seven  heads  and  ten  horns." 

The  angel  explains  the  woman,  the  beast,  the 
seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  as  already  frequently 
explained. 

8,  '^  The  beast  that  thou  sawest,  was,  and  is 
not ;  and  shall  ascend  out  of  the  bottomless  pit, 
and  go  into  perdition ;  and  they  that  dwell  on 
the  earth  shall  wonder  (whose  names  were  not 
written  in  the  book  of  life  from  the  foundation 
of  the  world)  when  they  behold  the  beast  that 
was,  and  is  not,  and  yet  is." 

The  beast,  i.  e.,  the  persecuting  power  at 
Eome,  '^  was "  when  heathen  Eome  persecuted 
the  Christians,  (and  is  not)  when  heathen  Eome 
became  Christian,  in  the  days  of  Oonstantine, 
''and  ascended  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,"  when 
christian  Eome  run  into  the  papacy,  and  perdi- 
tion is  its  destiny.  Those,  whose  names  are  not 
recorded  in  heaven  from  eternity,  wondered  with 
veneration  at  the  outside  glare  of  this  anti-chris- 
tian  power.  Hell  is  compared  to  a  bottomless 
pit,  into  which,  if  you  fall,  you  are  always  sink- 
ing in  the  terrors  of  death,  and  never  stop  or 
reach  the  bottom. 


160  THE    EEVELATION    OP   ST.    JOHN. 

9.  "And  here  is  the  mind  which  hath  wisdom. 
The  seven  heads  are  seven  mountains,  on  which 
the  woman  sitteth." 

The  angel  suggests  that  it  is  wisdom  to  under- 
stand correctly  the  figurative  seven  headed  beast, 
on  which  the  mystic  woman  sits,  viz.,  the  tem- 
poral power  sustaining  papal  imposture. 

10.  "  And  there  are  seven  kings  :  five  are 
fallen  and  one  is,  and  the  other  is  not  yet  come  ; 
and  when  he  cometh,  he  must  continue  a  short 
space." 

**  And  there  are  seven  kings,"  i.  e.,  seven  forms 
of  government  in  the  Roman  empire,  viz.,  kings, 
consuls,  dictators,  decemvirs,  military  tribunes, 
emperors  and  exarchs  ;  five  are  fallen,  viz  : 
kings,  consuls,  dictators,  decemvirs  and  military 
tribunes.  These  five  forms  of  government  had 
passed  away  before  the  days  of  the  apostle  John; 
and  one  is,  viz.,  emperors  in  apostolic  times;  and 
the  other  is  not  yet  come,  viz.,  exarchs,  Avhich  did 
not  take  place  till  the  seventh  century,  when  Eome 
became  a  dukedom  to  the  exarch  of  Eavenna; 
and  he  (exarchs)  must  continue  a  short  space, 
viz.,  till  the  year  800,  when  the  imperial  title 
was  revived  in  Charlemagne,  i.  e.,  Charles  the 
Great. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  161 

11.  And  the  best  that  was  and  is  not,  even  he 
IS  the  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven,  and  goeth  into 
perdition. " 

"  Is  the  eighth,  and  is  of  the  seven,"  i.  e.,  if 
the  tyranny  of  Popes  is  so  exactly  like  the  tyranny 
of  heathen  emperors  of  Eome,  that  you  need  not 
call  them  two  different  forms  of  government, 
then  Eome  will  have  only  seven  forms  of  govern- 
ment in  all.  Notice  the  destiny  (jDerdition)  of 
this  persecuting  power  at  Rome.  The  tyranny 
of  Popes  is  called  the  beast  itself  in  this  pas- 
sage, because  it  is  the  last  form  of  government. 

12.  "And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest 
are  ten  kings,  which  have  received  no  kingdom 
as  yet;  but  receive  power  as  kings  one  hour  with 
the  beast." 

"  And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  saAvest  are  ten 
kings,"  i.  e.,  dynasties  of  monarchical  govern- 
ment, which  have  received  no  kingdom  as  yet, 
because  the  western  empire  was  not  divided  into 
the  ten  kingdoms  of  Europe  in  the  apostle's  days; 
but  receive  power  as  kings,  i.  e.,  the  people  who 
lived  in  those  regions  (where  the  ten  kingdoms 
existed  afterward)  give  themselves  up,  as  tools 
of  wickedness,  to  sustain  the  persecuting  power 


162  THE    KEVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

at  Eome.     *^  One  hour  with,  the  beast,"  i.  e.,  at 
the  same  instant  and  for  the  same  purpose. 

13.  "  These  have  one  mind,  and  shall  give 
their  power  and  strength  unto  the  beast." 

These  (the  ten  kingdoms)  have  one  mind, 
viz..,  to  support  the  persecuting  power  at  Rome, 
however  they  might  war  among  themselves,  and 
give  their  power  and  strength  unto  the  beast,  i. 
e.,  popish  tyi-anny,  which  is  the  last  head,  or  form 
of  government  in  Eome,  and  hence  called  liere 
the  beast  itself.  Any  one  who  is  willing  to  see,  can 
see  that  papal  Eome  is  here  described,  for  the  ten 
kingdoms  of  Europe  did  not  exist,  as  such,  dur- 
ing Imperial  Eome. 

14.  ^'^  These  shall  make  war  with  the  Lamb, 
and  the  Lamb  shall  overcome  them:  for  he  is 
Lord  of  lords  and  King  of  kings;  and  they  that 
are  with  him  are  called,  and  chosen,  and  faith- 
ful." 

These  (ten  papal  kingdoms  of  Europe)  shall 
make  war  with  the  Lamb  (Christ),  by  opposing 
Christ,  his  cause  and  servants;  and  the  Lamb 
shall  overcome  them  by  his  word,  spirit  and 
providence,  for  he  (the  Saviour)  is  Lord  of  lords 
and  King  of  kings,  i.  e.,  all  things  in  time  are 


THE    REVELATION    OP    ST.  JOH^.  163 

delegated  to  Christ,  until  the  last  judgment  is 
concluded ;  then  he  will  deliver  up  the  mediato- 
rial kingdom,  that  God  may  be  all  in  all;  but  the 
glorified  human  nature  of  Christ  will  always  re- 
main as  the  connecting  link  between  Deity  and 
the  redee^ied.  ^^And  they  that  are  with  him," 
even  all  the  Saviour's  true  servants,  are  called, 
and  chosen,  and  faithful ;  hence  all  enemies  to 
Christ  must  fall  fatally  and  finally. 

15.  "  And  he  saith  unto  me,  the  waters 
which  thou  sawest,  where  the  whore  sitteth,  are 
peoples,  and  multitudes,  and  nations,  and 
tongues." 

The  angel  next  explained  to  John  that  the 
waters  where  the  whore  (the  Eomish  hierarchy) 
sat  were  an  emblem  of  people,  multitudes,  na- 
tions and  tongues.  Heathen  Eome  tyrannized 
over  nearly  all  the  known  world,  and  papal 
Eome  has  exceeded  heathen  Eome,  for  the 
Pope  claims  to  be  the  disposer  of  all  earthly 
kingdoms,  as  well  as  the  infallible  head  of  reli- 
gion. 

16.  *'And  the  ten  horns  which  thou  sawest 
upon  the  beast,  these  shall  hate  the  whore^  and 
shall  make  her  desolate  and  naked,  and  shall  eat 
her  flesh,  and  burn  her  with  fire." 


164  THE    KEVELATION"    OF    ST.  JOHX. 

These  ten  horns,  viz.,  the  ten  kingdoms  of 
Europe,  when  conyerted  to  true  Christianity, 
shall  hate  the  whore,  i.  e.,  the  papal  imposture, 
and  shall  make  her  desolate,  by  forsaking  her ; 
and  naked,  by  exposing  her  enormous  wicked- 
ness ;  and  eat  her  flesh,  by  withdrawing  all 
BU2:)23ort  from  her  ;  and  burn  her  with  fire,  which 
was  the  sentence  of  an  adulterous  daughter  of  a 
priest.     Lev.  21  :  9. 

17.  **^Ejor  God  hath  put  it  in  their  hearts  to 
fulfill  his  will,  and  to  agree,  and  give  their  king- 
dom unto  the  beast,  until  the  words  of  God  shall 
be  fulfilled." 

God,  in  his  providence,  give  up  these  ten  king- 
doms to  support  the  (papal  beast),  until  the 
words  of  God  should  be  fulfilled. 

18.  ^^And  the  woman  which  thou  sawest  is 
that  great  city,  which  reigneth  over  the  kings  of 
the  earth." 

The  angel  next  explained  to  John  that  the 
woman  (the  popish  imposture)  was  or  meant 
that  great  (anti-christian)  city  (Rome)  which 
reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth.  Popes  have 
made  emperors  hold  their  stirrups  while  they 
got  on  horse-back  to  ride,  and  sometimes  de- 
graded and  insulted  emperors  and  kings  even 
worse  than  this. 


THE   REVELATION   OF   ST.  JOHN.  165 


CHAPTEE  XVIII. 

1.  "  And  after  these  things  I  saw  another  angel 
come  down  from  heaven,  having  great  power  ; 
and  the  earth  was  lightened  with  his  glory." 

The  apostle  here  sees  another  angel^  different 
from  the  one  that  explained  the  symbols  in  the 
last  chapter  ;  as  the  herald  announcing  the  final 
downfall  of  anti-christian  Eome,  he  may  be 
considered,  in  his  glorious  appearance,  as  an 
emblem  of  Christ  coming  to  judgment,  to  pass 
final  sentence  on  all  his  enemies. 

2.  *'  And  he  cried  mightily  with  a  strong  voice 
saying,  Babylon  the  great  is  fallen,  is  fallen, 
and  is  become  the  habitation  of  devils,  and  the 
hold  of  every  foul  spirit,  and  a  cage  of  every 
unclean  and  hateful  bird." 

This  herald  cried  with  a  voice  worthy  of  an 
angel,  and  proclaimed  (mystic)  Babylon  the 
great  i.  e. ,  papal  imposture,  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  is 
most  certainly  fallen,  in  God's  immutable  pur- 


166  THE  REVELATION  OF    ST.    JOHN. 

poses,  and  become  the  habitation,  &c.,  of  all  that 
is  hellish  and  detestable.  "When  popish  impos- 
ture comes  to  a  final  end,  and  all  its  secrets  are 
told,  and  the  doleful  relics  of  all  its  monsters  in 
wickedness  are  exhumed,  the  world  will  get  a 
stench  of  sin,  which  admits  of  no  comparison. 
The  bigoted  devotees  of  papal  imposture  are 
unwilling  to  look  into  these  things  now. 

3.  '^  For  all  nations  have  drunk  of  the  wine  of 
the  wrath  of  her  fornication,  and  the  kings  of 
the  earth  have  committed  fornication  with  her, 
and  the  merchants  of  the  earth  are  waxed  rich 
through  the  abundance  of  her  delicacies. " 

All  nations  have  had  a  hand,  more  or  less,  in 
popish  imposture,  which  is  here  called  drunken- 
ness and  fornication  ;  and  the  kings  of  the  earth 
have  committed  (spiritual)  fornication  with  the 
Eomish  Church,  in  pandering  to  it,  in  order  to 
get  its  influence  to  help  them  :  and  the  mer- 
chants of  the  earth  waxed  rich,  by  carrying  the 
dainties  and  gems  of  the  world  to  it. 

4,  *' And  I  heard  another  voice  from  heaven, 
saying,  come  out  of  her,  my  people  that  ye  be 
Qot  partakers  of  her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not 
of  her  plagues.^' 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHX.  167 

The  apostle  next  hears  the  Yoice  of  the  Saviour 
from  heaven,  calling  his  people  out  of  the  Rom- 
ish Church  before  its  final  destruction  ;  like  Lot 
called  his  friends,  '^  Up  get  ye,  for  the  Lord  will 
destroy  this  place." 

5.  ^'  For  her  sins  have  reached  unto  heaven,  and 
God  hath  remembered  her  iniquities." 

The  sins  of  this  papal,  anti-christian  power, 
have  reached,  like  dark  mountains,  unto  heaven, 
and  God  remembers  them,  although  presumptu- 
ous fanatics  construe  God's  long  forbearance  into 
forgetfulness. 

6.  ^^Eeward  her  even  as  she  rewarded  you,  and 
double  unto  her  double  according  to  her  works  ; 
in  the  cup  which  she  hath  filled,  fill  to  her 
double." 

The  nations  injured  by  papal  imposture  are 
here  called  on  to  return  double  punishment 
for  the  extraordinary  wickedness  and  injury 
which  Eome  had  done  to  them.  The  size  of 
sin  is  the  measure  of  its  punishment. 

7.  ^'  How  much  she  hath  glorified  herself,  and 
lived  deliciously,  so  much  torment  and  sorrow 
given  her,  for  she  saith  in  heart,  I  sit  a  queen 
and  am  no  widow  and  shall  see  no  sorrow." 


168  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

Tlie  self-exaltation,  luxury  and  regal  indepen- 
dence of  the  Eomisli  hierarchy  will  be  the 
measure  of  God's  vengeance  on  it,  when  he 
rises  up  in  His  majesty  to  reckon  with  it  finally. 

8.  ''  Therefore  her  plagues  shall  come  in  one 
day,  death  and  mourning  and  famine,  and  she 
shall  be  utterly  burned  with  fire;  for  strong  is  the 
Lord  God  who  judgeth  her." 

The  end  of  the  Romish  Church  will  be  sud- 
den at  last,  viz.,  death,  mourning,  famine  and 
burning. 

Rome  is  to  be  treated  like  the  unchaste  daugh- 
ter of  a  priest.     Lev.  21  :  9. 

9.  "  And  the  kings  of  the  earth  who  have  com- 
mitted fornication  and  lived  deliciously  with  her 
shall  l)ewail  her,  and  lament  for  her  when  they 
see  the  smoke  of  her  burning." 

Such  potentates  as  remain  unconverted  and 
leagued  with  Rome  will  bewail  her  burning. 

10.  "  Standing  afar  off  for  the  fear  of  her  tor- 
ment, saying,  Alas,  alas  !  that  great  city  Babylon, 
that  mighty  city  !  for  in  one  hour  is  tliy  judg- 
ment come." 

The  remaining  beneficiaries  of  Romish  impos- 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN,  169 

ture  will  stand  back  as  well  as  they  can,  and 
howl  over  her  destruction ;  amazed  at  the  final 
ruin  of  such  wealth,  grandeur  and  arrogance. 
Eome  is  still  compared  to  Babylon. 

11.  ^^  And  the  merchants  of  the  earth  shall 
weep  and  mourn  oyer  her ;  for  no  man  buyetli 
their  merchandise  any  more." 

The  merchants  mourn  over  her,  because  the 
market  of  their  commerce  is  extinct.  Acts,  16: 19. 

12.  ''  The  merchandise  of  gold  and  silver  and 
precious  stones,  and  of  pearls,  and  fine  linen,  and 
purple,  and  silk  and  scarlet,  and  all  thyme 
wood,  and  all  manner  of  vessels  of  ivory,  and  all 
manner  of  vessels  of  most  precious  wood,  and  of 
brass,  and  iron,  and  marble." 

Fourteen  articles  of  most  tasty  merchandise 
are  here  enumerated,  among  which  is  thyme,  or 
sweet  wood.  Merchants  accumulated  great  wealth 
by  carr3ring  these  luxuries  to  papal  Rome,  and  so 
feeding  her  carnal  ambition. 

13.  ^'Ajidi  cinnamon,  and  odors,  and  ointments, 
and  fraakincense,  and  wine,  and  oil,  and  fine 
flour,  and  wheat,  and  beasts,  and  sheep,  and 
horses,  and  chariots,  and  slaves,  and  souls  of 
men." 


170  THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

Fourteen  more  most  costly  articles  of  com- 
merce are  here  specified — among  wliich  are 
slaves,  or  bodies  and  souls  of  men  ;  these  refer 
to  the  spiritual  traffic,  by  which  the  leaders  and 
retainers  in  the  Eomisli  church  enrich  them- 
selves at  the  expense  of  the  ignorant  and  bigoted 
masses  of  the  people.  See  mass,  indulgence, 
&c.,  -(fee. 

14.  '^  And  the  fruits  that  thy  soul  lusted  after 
are  departed  from  thee,  and  all  things  which  are 
dainty  and  goodly  are  departed  from  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  find  them  no  more  at  all." 

This  verse  describes  the  doleful  end  of  all 
comfort  to  papal  Rome. 

15.  ^^  The  merchants  of  these  things  which 
were  made  rich  by  her  shall  stand  afar  off,  for 
the  fear  of  her  torment,  weeping  and  wailing." 

The  merchants  will  stand  afar  off,  through 
fear,  and  weep  and  wail,  because  the  market  for 
their  commerce  is  gone.  Whatever  a  man  views 
as  his  chief  good,  is  his  God — whether  it  be  the 
Creator  or  the  creature. 

16.  '^  And  saying,  alas,  alas  !  that  great  city, 
that  was  clothed  in  fine  linen,  and  purple,  and 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN.  171 

scarlet,    and   decked  with   gold,    and    precious 
stones,  and  pearls." 

The  merchants  will  be  utterly  amazed  as  well 
as  grieved  to  see  the  end  of  the  wealth  and  gran- 
deur of  pa^aal  Rome. 

17.  "  For  in  one  hour  so  great  riches  is  come  to 
nought.  And  every  ship-master,  and  all  the 
company  in  ships,  and  sailors,  and  as  many  as 
trade  by  sea,  stood  afar  off." 

The  suddenness  of  the  end  of  papal  Rome  will 
especially  astonish  the  merchants. 

18.  ^^  And  cried  when  they  saw  the  smoke  of 
herburning,  saying,  what  city  is  like  unto  this 
great  city?" 

The  howling  of  the  merchants  over  the  loss  of 
their  trafic  with  papal  Rome  shows  that  Mammon 
is  their  God. 

19.  ''  And  they  cast  dust  on  their  heads,  and 
cried,  weeping  and  wailing,  saying,  alas,  alas  ! 
that  great  city,  wherein  were  made  rich  all  that 
had  ships  in  the  sea,  by  reason  of  her  costliness; 
for  in  one  hour  is  she  made  desolate." 

The  merchants  cast  dust  on  their  heads  to 


172  THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

emphasize  their  wailings  over  the  loss  of  their 
false  God  Mammon  ;  they  appear  to  be  even  worse 
than  Esau,  Micah,  or  those  who  made  shrines 
for  Diana  ;  the  religion  of  Christ  cannot  be 
where  there  is  so  much  love  of  the  world 

20.  '^Eejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  ana  ye 
noly  apostles  and  prophets,  for  God  hath  avenged 
you  on  her." 

The  heaven  and  saints  are  called  on  to  rejoice, 
because  God  has  avenged  them  on  the  anti-chris- 
tian  imposture  at  Eome. 

21 .  ^'  And  a  mighty  angel  took  up  a  stone  like  a 
great  mill-stone,  and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  saying, 
thus  with  violence  shall  that  great  city  Babylon 
be  thrown  down,  and  shall  be  found  no  more  at 
all." 

To  illustrate  the  fatal  and  final  fall  of  that 
great  city  (mystic)  Babylon,  i.  e.,  papal  Rome, 
a  mighty  angel  took  up  a  stone,  like  a  great  mill- 
stone, and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  in  imitation  of 
the  prediction  of  the  fatal  fall  of  literal  Babylon. 
Jer.  51 :  60-63. 

22.  '^  And  the  voice  of  harpers,  and  musicians, 
and  of  pipers,  and  trumjDcters,  shall  be  heard  no 


THE    REYELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  173 

more  at  all  in  thee ;  and  no  craftsman,  of  what- 
soever craft  he  be,  shall  be  found  any  more  in 
thee  ;  and  the  sound  of  a  mill-stone  shall  be 
heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee." 

The  musician,  craftsman  and  mill-stone  will 
be  heard  no  more  in  papal  Eome. 

23.  ^^  And  the  light  of  a  candle  shall  shine  no 
more  at  all  in  thee  ;  and  the  voice  of  the  bride- 
groom and  of  the  bride  shall  be  heard  no  more 
at  all  in  thee  ;  for  thy  merchants  were  the  great 
men  of  the  earth  ;  for  by  thy  sorceries  were  all 
nations  deceived." 

The  light  of  a  candle  and  the  voice  of  the 
bride-groom  and  of  the  bride  are  to  be  heard  in 
anti-christian  Eome  no  more,  when  these  judg- 
ments take  place.  This  will  also  be  a  punish- 
ment on  her  merchants,  as  the  great  ones  of  the 
earth :  also  destruction  to  papal  Eome,  for 
seducing  all  nations  by  her  sorceries,  tricks, 
juggleries  and  lying  wonders,  etc. 

24.  ^'  And  in  her  was  found  the  blood  of  proph- 
ets, and  of  saints,  and  of  all  that  were  slain  upon 
the  earth." 

In  the  skirts  of  papal  Eome  will  be  found  the 
blood  of  prophets,  saints  and  martyrs,  to  a  mon- 


174  THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHT^. 

strous  extent  far — more  than  is  known  of  yet — ■ 
as  all  secrets  will  be  told  wlien  Antichrist  is 
consumed. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

1.  "  And  after  these  things  I  heard  a  great 
voice  of  much  people  in  heaven,  saying,  Alleluia : 
salvation,  and  glory,  and  honor,  and  power, 
unto  the  Lord  our  God." 

After  these  things,  viz.,  the  description  of  the 
wickedness,  ambition,  luxury,  arrogance,  de- 
struction, etc.,  of  the  Romish  imposture,  the 
apostle  heard  a  great  voice  of  much  peoj^le  in 
heaven,  sa3dng.  Alleluia.  This  word  is  derived 
from  haulal,  to  praise,  and  the  last  syllable  of 
Jehovah's,  and  the  church  triumphant  ascribe 
their  own  salvation,  glory,  honor  and  power  to 
their  God,  because  he  had  destroyed  this  pre- 
tended mother  church  and  vicar  of  the  Son  of 
God. 

2.  "  For  true  and  righteous  are  his  judgments  : 
for  he  hath  judged  the  great  whore,  which  did 
corrupt  the  earth  with  her  fornication,  and  hath 
avenged  the  bloo^.^  of  his  servants  at  her  hand. " 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN.  175 

Grlorified  saints  ascribe  trtitli  and  rigliteous- 
ness  to  God,  and,  as  an  example  of  it,  they  refer 
to  God's  vengeance  on  the  great  (spiritual)  whore, 
the  papal  imposture,  which  had  corrupted  the 
Christian  religion — ^like  a  brothel  corrupts  the 
morals  of  a  community. 

The  blood  of  the  martyrs  cry  to  God  against 
these  fanatics  and  inipostors,  like  the  blood  of 
righteous  Abel,  and  God  w^ill  assuredly  hear,  as 
He  is  just. 

3.  "And  again  they  said.  Alleluia.  And  her 
smoke  rose  up  forever  and  ever." 

The  saints  repeat  Alleluia,  praise  Jehovah, 
and  her  smoke  rose  up  forever  and  ever,  i.  e., 
eternal  punishment. 

4.  "  And  the  four  and  twenty  elders  and  the 
four  beasts  fell  down  and  worshipped  God  that 
sat  on  the  throne,  saying.  Amen  ;  Alleluia." 

The  four  and  twenty  emblems  of  the  whole 
Church,  and  the  four  emblems  of  the  Ministry, 
worship  God,  and  say.  Amen,  so  let  it  be  ;  Alle- 
luia, praise  Jehovah. 

5.  "And  a  voice  came  out  of  the  throne,  say- 


176  THE    EEYEJ.ATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

ing,  Praise  our  God,  all  ye  his  servants,  and  ye 
that  fear  him,  both  small  and  great." 

The  Yoice  of  some  leading  saint  or  angel  near 
the  throne  called  on  all  classes  to  j^raise  God. 

6.  ^^And  I  heard,  as  it  were,  the  voice  of  a 
great  multitude,  and  as  the  voice  of  many  waters, 
and  as  the  voice  of  mighty  thunderings,  saying. 
Alleluia  :  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reign- 
eth." 

The  heavenly  hosts,  by  way  of  a  response  to 
the  call,  in  the  preceding  verse,  and  with  the 
voice  of  a  great  multitude,  and  of  many  waters, 
and  of  mighty  thunderings,  said,  Alleluia,  praise 
Jehovah  ;  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reign - 
eth,  i.  e.,  crushed  all  opposition  to  his  universal 
empire  ;  hence,  the  conversion  of  the  world  is 
alluded  to. 

7.  ''  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give 
honor  to  him  :  for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is 
come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready." 

Saints  and  angels  2:)ropose  to  be  glad  and  re- 
joice, and  honor  the  omnipotent  God  reigning, 
for  the  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  come  and  his 
wife  hath  made  herself  ready.    Here  we  may  con- 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN.  177 

sider  the  marriage  faitli  with  its  effects,  and  the 
Lamb,  Christ,  and  the  wife,  the  whole  Church. 

8.  '^  And  to  her  was  granted  that  she  should 
be  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white  :  for 
the  fine  linen  is  the  righteousness  of  saints." 

The  Church  is  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  which  is 
an  emblem  of  Christ's  righteousness,  and  clean, 
viz. ,  pure  from  sin  ;  and  white,  or  bright,  i.  e. ,  re- 
flecting the  excellencies  of  Christ's  righteous- 
ness. 

9.  *^  And  he  saith  unto  me,  write,  Blessed  are 
they  which  are  called  unto  the  marriage  supper 
of  the  Lamb.  And  he  saith  unto  me,  these  are 
the  true  sayings  of  God." 

The  angel  which  communicated  unto  John, 
in  this  vision,  bid  him  wa-ite  :  Blessed  are  they 
which  are  called  (by  the  Word  and  Spirit)  unto 
the  marriage  supper  of  the  Lamb,  i.  e.,  joys  of 
heaven,  which  we  gain  by  being  united  to 
Christ,  by  faith;  like  marriage  unites  husband 
and  wife. 

This  angel  further  announces  that  these 
(revelations)  are  the  true  sayings  of  God.  The 
millennium  will  be  a  bright  type  of  this  marriage 
BujDper  of  the  Lamb. 


178  THE    REYELATIOX    OF    ST.   JOHX. 

10.  ''And  I  fell  at  liis  feet  to  worship  liim. 
And  lie  said  unto  me  :  See  thou  do  it  not  ;  I  am 
thy  fellow  servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  that  have 
the  testimony  of  Jesus  :  worship  God  :  for  the 
testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy." 

This  angel  was  neither  a  Pope  nor  a  Papist, 
for  he  forbid  John  of  worshipping  him,  or  any 
other  creature,  and  bid  him  worship  God,  as  the 
only  proper  object  of  worship.  The  angel  fur- 
ther informs  John  that  he  (the  angel)  was  his 
(John's)  fellow-servant  and  co-laborer  in  the 
work  of  Christ  for  the  Church.  The  testi- 
mony of  Jesus  is  the  spirit  of  prophecy ;  in  other 
words,  the  spirit  dictates  prophecy,  and  pro- 
phecy revealed  Christ,  as  the  door,  the  way,  the 
truth  and  the  life,  etc.,  of  our  future  enjoyment 
in  heaven. 

Angels,  as  well  as  saints,  are  employed  in  the 
salvation  of  man.     Heb.  1 :  14. 

11.  ''And  I  saw  heaven  opened,  and  behold; 
a  white  horse ;  and  he  that  sat  upon  him  was 
called  faithful  and  true,  and  in  righteousness  he 
doth  judge,  and  make  war." 

The  apostle  next  sees  in  a  new  scene  a  wiiite 
horse,  as  an  emblem  of  justice  and  purity,  and 


THE    HEVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN.  179 

the  rider,  as  an  emblem  of  Clirist,  whose  titles  are 
faithful  and  true,  and  he  judges  and  makes  war 
in  righteousness,  and  not  for  ill-gotten  gain,  like 
depraved  man. 

12.  '^  His  eyes  were  as  aflame  of  fire,  and  on 
his  head  were  many  crowns,  and  he  had  a  name 
written,  that  no  man  knew  but  he  himself. " 

The  Saviour's  eyes  are  as  a  flame  of  fire,  de- 
notes his  omniscience  to  detect  enemies,  and  his 
many  crowns  denote  his  sovereignty  as  Creator, 
Eedeemer,  Head  of  the  Church,  and  conqueror  of 
all  his  enemies.  "  Name  unknown  to  all  but 
himself"  denotes  his  eternal,  incomprehensible 
Lordship. 

13.  *^  And  he  was  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped 
m  blood ;  and  his  name  is  called  The  Word  of 
God." 

The  Saviour  was  clothed  with  a  vesture  dipped 
in  or  baptized  with  blood.  See  the  same  angel 
Isa.  63  :  1.  This  was  the  blood  of  his  enemies  ; 
and  his  name  is  called  the  Word,  as  the  medium 
of  all  communication  between  heaven  and  earth ; 
like  words  are  the  mediums  of  communication  be- 
tween human  beings. 

14.  ''And  the  armies  which  were  in  heaven 


180  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN. 

followed  him  upon  white  horses,  clothed  in  fine 
linen,  white  and  clean." 

The  Saviour's  armies  of  the  redeemed  in  heaven 
followed,  by  obedience  and  white  horses,  de- 
notes that  they  acquiesced  in  his  justice  and  pur- 
ity ;  clothed  in  linen,  w^hite  and  clean,  denoting 
Christ's  righteousness,  which  they  had  received 
by  faith. 

15.  ^^And  out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a  sharp 
sword,  that  with  it  he  should  smite  the  nations  : 
and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod  of  iron :  and 
he  treadeth  the  winepress  of  the  fierceness  and 
wrath  of  Almighty  God." 

The  sharp  sword  going  out  of  the  Saviour's 
mouth  denotes  the  execution  of  his  sentence  on 
his  enemies,  and  the  rod  of  iron  denotes  destruc- 
tion to  all  who  will  not  have  this  man  to  reign 
over  them.  Ps.  1,  and  Luke  19  :  14-27.  ''And 
he  treadeth  the  winepress,"  i.  e.,  he  does  the 
work  of  a  servant,  redeeming  the  faithful,  and 
destroying  the  implacable,  causing  their  blood  to 
flow  red,  like  wine,  in  accordance  with  God's 
wrath  against  the  wicked. 

16.  ^'  And  he  hath  on  his  vesture,  and  on  his 
thigh,  a  name  written,  King  of  Kings,  and  Lord 
of  Lords." 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN.  181 

The  Sayiour  lias  a  label  or  badge  upon  liis  ves- 
ture and  on  his  thigh,  where  the  sword  hangs, 
King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords,  denoting  his 
universal  emjoire. 

17.  '^  And  I  saw  an  angel  standing  in  the  sun, 
and  he  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying  to  all  the 
fowls  that  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  Come  and 
gather  yourselves  together  unto  the  supper  of  the 
great  God." 

The  battle  of  Armageddon  is  again  referred  to 
here  ;  and  I  will  give  in  order  my  ideas  of  the 
great  events  between  us  now,  1873,  and  the  open- 
ing of  the  millennium.  The  combined  papal 
forces  will  make  two  dreadful  but  unsuccessful 
attempts  to  regain  Rome  and  the  Papal  States, 
viz.,  the  reaping  of  the  harvest  and  the  vintage. 
Chap.  14.  Next,  the  Jews  will  return  to  Canaan 
with  great  wealth,  and  about  the  same  time  Mo- 
hammedanism will  give  way,  perhaps,  by  the 
Czar  of  Eussia  and  King  of  Prussia  (now  Empe- 
ror of  Germany)  dividing  Turkey  between  them- 
selves. The  Pope,  with  his  adherents,  will  then 
send  out  three  classes  of  emissaries,  called  frogs, 
and  induce  the  Mohammedans  and  other  kings 
of  the  East  to  join  them  in  robbing  the  Jews, 
but  God  will  give  them  a  fearful  overthrow.  This 


182  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHX. 

is  the  sixth  vial.  The  great  obstacles  to  the 
speedy  conversion  of  the  world  will  then  be  re- 
moved. Then  comes  the  seventh  vial.  And  as 
the  Jews  will  have  gone  home  Christians,  they 
will  make  the  best  of  missionaries,  under  the 
seventh  vial,  to  bring  in  the  millennium,  they 
being  acquainted  with  all  languages.  In  view  of 
the  battle  of  Armageddon,  John  sees  an  angel  as 
a  herald  standing  in  the  sun  for  publicity,  and 
calling  all  the  fowls  of  the  heaven  to  come  and 
feast  on  the  dead  bodies  of  Antichrist  and  his 
hosts,  who  had  assembled  to  rob  the  penitent 
Jews,  returned  to  Canaan,  the  land  given  to 
Father  Abraham  and  his  offspring  for  a  posses- 
sion forever  and  ever. 

18.  '^That  ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of  kings,  and 
the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the  flesh  of  mighty  men, 
and  the  flesh  of  horses,  and  of  them  that  sit  on 
them,  and  the  flesh  of  all  men,  both  free  and 
jond,  both  small  and  great." 

The  supper  which  God  will  give  to  the  fowls  con- 
sists in  the  flesh  of  kings,  captains,  mighty  men, 
horses  and  their  riders,  and  all  men,  free  and 
bond,  small  and  great  ;  their  destruction  is  tlie 
measure  of  their  presumption  and  godless  sin. 

19.  '^  And  I  saw  the  beasts,  and  the  kings  of 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN".  183 

tlie  eartli  and  their  armies,  gathered  together  to 
make  war  against  him  that  sat  on  the  horse,  and 
against  his  army." 

The  Papal  Antichrist,  with  all  his  regal  allies, 
waged  war  against  him  (the  Saviour)  that  sat  on 
the  horse  and  against  his  army  ;  this  will  be  a 
fearful  undertaking  and  will  have  a  fearful 
ending. 

20.  ^^And  the  beast  was  taken,  and  with  him 
tlie  false  prophet  that  wrought  miracles  before 
him,  with  which  he  deceived  them  that  had  re- 
ceived the  mark  of  the  beast,  and  them  that 
worshipped  his  image.  These  both  were  cast 
alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with  brimstone." 

The  beast,  the  secular  power  that  sustains  the 
Papal  Anti  christ,  and  the  false  prophet,  Anti- 
christ himself,  with  all  his  devotees,  will  be  cap- 
tured and  cast  alive  into  a  lake  of  fire  burning 
with  brimstone,  an  emblem  of  hell. 


21.  "And  the  remnant  were  slain  with  the 
sword  of  him  that  sat  upon  the  horse,  which 
sword  proceeded  out  of  his  mouth  :  and  all  the 
fowls  were  filled  with  their  flesh." 

The  remnant  of  the  anti-christian  hosts  will 


184  THE    KEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHlSr. 

be  slain  by  tlie  sentence  of  the  Saviour,  "the 
fowls  feasted  on  their  flesh."  This  is  the  close  of 
the  battle  of  Armageddon  and  the  end  of  Anti- 
christ, with  his  Mohammedan  and  heathen  allies. 
The  conversion  of  the  world  will  follow  easily 
when  these  great  obstacles  are  taken  out  of  the 
way. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

1.  "And  I  saw  an  angel  come  down  from 
heaven,  having  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit  and 
a  great  chain  in  his  hand." 

In  the  natural  order  of  events  the  millennium 
comes  next,  and,  preparatory  to  its  introduction, 
the  apostle  sees  an  angel  come  down  from  heaven 
— like  the  sheriff  is  sent  out  by  the  civil  govern- 
ment to  catch  culprits — having  the  key,  i.e.,  the 
control  of  the  bottomless  pit,  i.  e.,  endless  hell — 
like  the  sheriff  has  control  of  the  prison — "  and 
a  great  chain  in  his  hand,"  denoting  the  restraints 
laid  on  the  leader  of  the  fallen  angels  during  the 
millennium — like  the  sheriff  binds  criminals  to 
restrain  them. 

2.  "  And  he  laid  hold  on  the  dragon,  that  old 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  185 

serpent,  which  is  the  devil,  and  Satan,  and  bound 
him  a  thousand  years." 

The  tempter  in  Paradise  is  here  called  the 
dragon,  that  old  serpent  the  devil,  and  Satan, 
and  is  bound,  i.  e.,  restrained  during  the  millen- 
nium; otherwise  the  world  would  never  be  con- 
verted. Dragon  and  serpent,  refer  to  the  medi- 
um which  the  tempter  used  in  Paradise,  which 
is  a  subtle,  degraded,  vicious,  venomous  reptile, 
and  is  now  the  emblem  of  the  devil.  Devil,  or  its 
root  diabolus,  means  a  traducer,  and  Satan  means 
an  adversary. 

3.  "  And  cast  him  into  the  bottomless  pit, 
and  shut  him  up,  and  set  a  seal  upon  him  that 
he  should  deceive  the  nations  no  more,  till  the 
thousand  years  should  be  fulfilled  :  and  after  that 
he  must  be  loosed  a  little  season. " 

In  this  verse  Satan  is  imprisoned  to  restrain 
him,  and  sealed  for  the  sake  of  certainty,  that 
the  human  race  may  enjoy  the  religion  of  Christ 
in  peace  for  a  thousand  years.  After  that,  and 
just  before  the  end  of  time,  Satan  must  (in  God's 
economy)  be  loosed  a  little  season .  If  anyone  says, 
why  not  keep  him  imprisoned,  the  answer  is,  you 
see  from  your  standpoint  and  God  sees  from  his ; 
if  anything  that  God  does,  does  not  seem  best  to 


186  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN, 

you,  that  fact  proves  that  you  are  ignorant — for 
God  is  infinitely  wise. 

4.  ''And  I  saw  thrones,  and  they  sat  upon 
them,  and  judgment  was  given  unto  them;  and 
I  saw  the  souls  of  them  that  were  beheaded  for 
the  witness  of  Jesus,  and  for  the  word  of  God, 
which  had  not  worshipped  the  beast,  neither  his 
image,  neither  had  received  his  mark  upon  their 
foreheads,  or  in  their  hands  ;  and  they  lived  and 
reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years." 

Next,  the  apostle  saw  thrones,  denoting  the 
happy  and  exalted  state  of  tlie  converted  world 
during  the  millennium,  Dan.  7  :  14 ;  and  they 
(the  righteous)  sat  upon  them,  as  kings  and 
priests  to  God,  Eev.  1  : 4-6  ;  for  in  the  hearts 
of  the  human  family  at  large,  during  the  millen- 
nium, the  saints  will  reign  in  spirit .  As  to  the 
moral  state  of  their  hearts  in  those  times,  and  as 
priests  oifer  the  sacrifice  of  praise  and  thanks- 
giving to  God,  Eev.  5  :  10,  these  things  will  be 
a  type  and  foretaste  of  heaven  ;  And  judgment 
was  given  unto  them,-  viz.,  the  righteous^  as 
Christ's  assessors,  who  had  judged  the  beast,  and 
will,  by  his  saints  as  his  assessors,  judge  the 
world  at  the  last  day.  Christ  came  into  the 
world    personally  when,   he  atoned  for  sin  on 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  187 

the  cross,  and  lie  will  come  personally  a  second 
time  to  judge  the  world,  Heb.  9  :  27,  28,  and  end 
all  things  here  below.  Next  the  apostle  saw  the 
souls  (but  not  the  bodies)  of  the  pious  martyrs  of 
past  ages,  i.  e.,  successive  generations  of  pious 
persons  like  the  martyrs,  and  they  lived  and 
reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years,  just  as 
John  the  Baptist  was  promised  under  the  name 
of  Elijah,  because  they  were  very  much  alike, 
Matt.  4 :  5,  compared  with  Mark  9  :  11-13.  I 
have  not  bothered  the  mind  of  the  reader  with 
the  vain  and  conceity  notions  of  those  who  be- 
come intoxicated  with  one  idea,  and  fly  off  in  a 
contrary  direction,  like  an  arrow  shot  into  the 
air  without  a  spike  in  it  to  balance  its  course. 

5.  ^'But  the  rest  of  the  dead  lived  not  again 
until  the  thousand  years  were  finished.  This  is 
the  first  resurrection." 

'^  But  the  rest  of  the  dead,"  i.  e.,  such  wicked 
people,  as  hosts  of  the  past  generations,  lived  not 
again  until  the  thousand  years  were  finished  ; 
hence  we  can  see  that  the  earth  will  be  inhabited 
entirely  by  j)ious  people  during  the  millennium, 
and  something  like  a  universal  revival  of  religion 
will  prevail  all  over,  the  earth. 

If  the  thousand  years  are  a  prophetic  thousand. 


188  THE    EEYELATION    OF    ST.   JOHX. 

they  will  be  three  hundred  and  sixty  thousand 
years,  according  to  our  usual  computation  of 
years  ;  ar^d  I  lean  towards  this  opinion,  for  our 
Saviour  must  ''  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and 
be  satisfied."  Isa.  53  :  11. 

This  (rising  into  a  state  of  grace  and  prepara- 
tion for  heaven)  is  the  first  resurrection  ;  the 
second  will  be  at  the  last  day. 

6.  '^  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in 
the  first  resurrection  ;  on  such  the  second  death 
hath  no  power,  but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God 
and  of  Christ  and  shall  reign  with  him  a  thou- 
sand years." 

'^  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the 
first  (spiritual  resurrection,"  viz.,  the  new  birth, 
John  3.:  3,  and  full  sanctification,  which  is  the 
carrying  out  of  the  new  birth ;  on  (all)  such  the 
second  death  (hell)  hath  no  power;  but  they 
shall  be  priests  of  God  (spiritually  and  to  offer 
praise  and  thanksgiving)  and  reign  (in  their  holy 
affections  and  emotions)  with  him,  i.  e.,  the 
Saviour  during  the  millennium. 

7.  "  And  when  the  thousand  years  are  ex- 
pired, Satan  shall  be  loosed  out  of  his  prison." 

At  the  end  of  the  millennium,  and  just  before 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  189 

fclie  end  of  time,  Satan  shall  be  loosed  out  of  his 
prison — probably  to  show  that  the  millennium 
was  of  grace  and  not  works. 

8.  "  And  shall  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations 
which  are  in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth,  Gog 
and  Magog,  to  gather  them  to  battle,  the  num- 
ber of  whom  is  as  the  sand  of  the  sea." 

Every  human  being  is  born  into  the  world 
with  a  depraved  moral  nature  ;  and  when  Satan 
is  loosed  from  his  prison,  he  will  prevent  hosts 
in  the  four  quarters  of  the  earth  of  becoming 
pious,  and  excite  them  to  persecute,  like  Gog 
and  Magog  did  before  the  millennium.  Ezek, 
38  and  39,  and  Eev.  16  :  16. 

9.  "  And  they  went  up  on  the  breadth  of  the 
earth  and  compassed  the  camp  of  the  saints 
about  and  the  beloved  city  ;  and  fire  came  down 
from  God  out  of  heaven  and  devoured  them." 

When  these  last  and  most  awful  anti-christian 
hosts  are  in  the  height  of  their  hellish  career, 
and  persecuting  the  remnant  of  the  pious,  the 
fire  of  God's  wrath  from  heaven  will  consume 
them.  The  habitation  of  the  pious  is  compared 
to  the  ' '  beloved  city  "  Jerusalem  in  its  best  days. 


190  THE    EEYELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

10.  ^^  And  the  devil  that  deceived  tliem  was 
cast  into  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  where 
the  beast  and  the  false  prophet  are,  and  shall  be 
tormented  day  and  night  forever  and  ever." 

After  this  last  anti-christian  struggle,  Satan 
will  be  cast  into  "the  lake  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone "  (an  emblem  of  hell),  with  all  his  agents, 
impostors,  etc. 

11.  "And  I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  him 
that  sat  on  it,  from  whose  face  the  earth  and  the 
heaven  fled  away,  and  there  was  found  no  place 
for  them." 

The  next  event  in  order  is  the  coming  of 
Christ  to  judgment,  in  infinite  majesty.  The 
heavens  and  the  earth  fleeing  away  before  the 
judge,  denote  the  dissolution  of  the  visible  crea- 
tion before  the  Saviour,  at  his  second  coming. 

12.  "And  I  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great, 
stand  before  God  ;  and  the  books  were  opened, 
and  another  book  was  opened,  which  is  the  book 
of  life,  and  the  dead  were  judged  out  of  those 
things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  accord- 
ing to  their  works." 

The  next  thing  in  order  is  the  resurrection,  for 
the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God  (the 


THE    KEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  191 

Son),  and  the  books  (tlie  records  of  the  charac- 
ters and  conduct  of  the  human  race)  were  opened, 
that  the  assembled  universe  might  see  the  justice 
of  the  Judge.  I  think  ^^the  books  "  are  the  rec- 
ords of  conscience  compared  with  revelation. 
The  influence  of  the  infinite  majesty  of  the  Judge 
will  bring  fresh  to  memory  all  the  thoughts, 
words,  deeds  and  desires  of  men  and  angels, 
both  good  and  bad.  ^'  Another  book  was  opened," 
containing  the  names  of  the  redeemed.  We  will 
be  judged  according  to  our  works — as  the  effect 
of  our  faith  and  moral  state  of  heart. 

13.  '^  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were 
in  it  ;  and  death  and  hell  delivered  up  the  dead 
which  were  in  them,  and  they  were  judged,  every 
man  according  to  their  works." 

The  sea,  death  and  hades,  or  the  grave,  gave  up 
their  dead,  and  they  were  judged  in  like  manner. 

14.  ^'  And  death  and  hell  were  cast  into  the 
lake  of  fire.     This  is  the  second  death." 

And  death  and  hell,  or  hades,  or  the  state  of 
separation  between  soul  and  body,  were  cast  into 
the  lake  of  fire,  i.  e.,  hell.  Our  first  death  is  the 
separation  of  soul  and  body,  and  the  second, 
hell. 


192  THE    EEYELATiON    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

15.  ^^And  whosoever  was  not  found  written 
in  tlie  book  of  life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of 
fire." 

The  names  of  all  the  redeemed  are  recorded 
in  heaven,  the  rest  are  lost. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

1.  '^  And  I  saw  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth, 
for  the  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth  were 
passed  away,  and  there  was  no  more  sea." 

The  next  thing  in  order  is  an  emblem  of  the 
heavenly  state  of  the  righteous  in  eternity.  To 
understand  the  Apocalypse,  always  ■  remember 
the  order  of  events,  dates,  etc.  The  new  heaven 
and  new  earth  succeed  the  old.  "  And  there  is 
no  more  sea  to  cause  danger  or  trouble,  or  sepa- 
rate brethren.  The  apostle  Peter  also  speaks  of 
the  heavenly  state,  2  Peter,  3  :  10-13  ;  because 
he  is  speaking  of  the  state  of  all  things  after  the 
day  of  judgment.  But  the  prophet  Isaiah  s^^eaks 
of  the  millennium,  Isa.  65,  17-19,  and  QQ  \  19- 
23,  because  he  is  treating  of  the  conversion  of 
the  whole  world  and  the  intense  piety  that  will 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  193 

tlien   prevail;  yet   all   three  witnesses   use  tlie 
term  ^^  New  Creation." 

2.  *'And  I,  John,  saw  the  holy  city,  new  Je- 
rusalem, coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven, 
prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband. " 

As  the  land  of  Canaan,  a  type  of  heaven,  had 
its  central  point  of  worship,  Jerusalem,  so  the 
heavenly  state  had  its  new  Jerusalem,  adorned 
most  exquisitely  by  and  for  Christ,  as  a  bride  is 
adorned  for  the  bridegroom,  and  coming  down 
from  God  out  of  heaven  near  by,  so  that  John 
might  contemplate  it  as  an  emblem  of  the  abode 
of  all  the  redeemed  to  infinity. 

3.  ^^  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven, 
saying,  Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with 
men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them,  and  they 
shall  be  his  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be 
with  them,  and  be  their  God." 

^^  A  great  voice  out  of  heaven,"  probably  from 
the  angel  that  gave  this  revelation  to  John,  pro- 
claimed that  God  now  condescends  to  tabernacle 
with  the  redeemed  and  be  their  God,  and  they 
his  people. 

4.  ^'  And  God  shall  wipe  away  all  tears  from 
their  eyes  ;  and  there  shall  be  no  more  death, 


194  THE    EEVELATION    OP    ST.    JOHN. 

neither  sorrow,  nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be 
any  more  pain  ;  for  the  former  things  are  passed 
away. " 

God  as  a  tender  parent,  in  heaven,  will  free  all 
the  redeemed,  by  Christ,  of  tears,  death,  sorrow, 
crying  and  pain — all  of  which  are  the  effects  of 
sin — for  the  former  (sinful)  things  are  passed 
away. 

5.  ^^And  he  that  sat  npon  the  throne  said. 
Behold  I  make  all  things  new.  And  he  said  unto 
me,  write,  for  these  words  are  true  and  faithful. " 

In  this  verse  the  Mediator  has  moved  to  the 
throne  of  his  judgment,  and  proclaims  to  the 
uniA^erse,  "  Behold  I  make  all  things  new,"  with 
regard  to  the  redeemed ;  and  bids  the  apostle 
write  his  true  and  faithful  words  for  the  benefit 
of  our  race. 

6.  ^^  And  he  said  unto  me,  it  is  done.  I  am 
Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end.  I 
will  give  unto  him  that  is  athirst  of  the  fountain 
of  the  water  of  life  freely." 

In  view  of  the  conclusion  of  the  general  judg- 
ment and  beginning  of  the  eternal  state,  the 
Judge  of  all  the  earth  said,  ^^  It  is  done,"  i.  e.,  the 
righteous   are  saved  and  the  wicked  lost,  and 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHX.  195 

the  conflict  between  Christ  and  Satan  over — the 
final  destiny  of  man  is  fixed.  Our  Saviour  il- 
lustrates his  existence  from  eternity  to  eternity, 
by  calling  hirdself  Alpha,  the  first  letter  of  the 
Greek  alphabet,  and  Omega,  the  last  letter  of  the 
same  ;  he  also  calls  himself  ''the  beginning  and 
the  end,"  as  having  created  all  things  and  dis- 
posed of  all  things.  Creation  is  ascribed  to  the 
Son  and  Spirit,  as  vs^ell  as  to  the  Father  ;  and 
they  are  called  the  Trinne  God,  or  Trinity,  which 
means  three  in  one,  viz.,  three  persons  and  only 
one  divine  nature.  To  every  one  who  thirsts  for 
the  salvation  of  God  our  Saviour  will  give  of  the 
fountain  of  the  water  of  life  freely,  i.  e.,  he 
shall  not  merely  have  little  foretastes  of  heavenly 
happiness,  like  good  people  have  in  this  world, 
but  go  to  the  fountain  head  and  drink  freely." 

7.  ''He  that  overcometh  shall  inherit  all 
things,  and  I  will  be  his  God,  and  he  shall  be 
my  son." 

The  Saviour  says,  he  that  overcometh  sin  by 
faith  in  the  Redeemer  shall  possess  things 
heavenly ;  for  each  glorified  saint  and  holy 
angel  possesses  and  enjoys  heaven  as  much  as  if 
it  was  his  own,  and  he  is  a  spiritual  son  of  God, 
and  God  is  his  Father. 


196  THE    EEYELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

8.  '^^Biit  the  fearful  and  imbelieying,  and  tlie 
abominable,  and  murderers,  and  whoremongers, 
and  sorcerers,  and  idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall 
have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with 
fire  and  brimstone  :  which  is  the  second  death." 

The  misery  of  all  the  wicked  will  be  as  great 
in  hell  as  the  happiness  of  the  righteous  in 
heaven.  For  our  instruction  and  warning,  the 
various  classes  of  the  wicked  are  here  enumer- 
ated, viz.,  the  fearful,  who  would  not  venture 
to  forsake  all  for  Christ ;  and  the  unbelieving, 
who  would  not  trust  the  Lord  Jesus  with  their 
soul's  concerns ;  and  the  abominable,  in  deeds 
of  unnatural  wickedness ;  and  murderers,  who 
hate  their  brother  and  the  sixth  commandment ; 
and  whoremongers,  who  hate  the  seventh  com- 
mandment and  devote  themselves  to  the  worst 
class  of  women;  and  sorcerers,  all  manner  of 
conjurers  and  diviners,  for  they  apply  to  other 
sources  for  knowledge  than  to  God ;  and  idola- 
ters, who  pay  their  homage  to  the  creature  in- 
stead of  the  Creator ;  and  all  liars,  who  of  course 
hate  the  ninth  commandment  and  the  God  of 
truth.  All  such  characters  as  the  above  shall 
have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  burneth  with 
fire  and  brimstone,  an  emblem  of  hell,  which  is 
the  second  death. 


THE    REVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN.  197 

0.  ^^  And  there  came  unto  me  one  of  the  seven 
angels,  which  had  the  seven  vials  full  of  the  seven 
last  plagues,  and  talked  with  me,  saying,  Come 
hither,  I  will  shew  thee  the  bride,  the  Lamb's 
wife." 

The  glories  of  the  heavenly  abode  of  the  right- 
eous is  here  described  emblematically,  at  length, 
and  the  New  Jerusalem  may,  for  the  sake  of 
clearness  of  idea,  be  compared  to  the  small  like- 
ness of  an  invention,  which  the  patentee  makes 
out  and  carries  to  the  Patent  Office,  in  order  to 
secure  his  patent ;  the  likeness  is  a  miniature 
view  of  the  invention,  and  the  New  Jerusalem 
is  a  miniature  view  of  heaven. 

One  of  the  seven  angels  now  invited  John  to 
come  and  see  the  bride,  the  Lamb's  wife.  The 
figurative  expression,  the  bride,  is  now  changed 
from  the  redeemed  to  the  abode  of  the  re- 
deemed ;  which  intimates  that  we  are  to  receive 
general  ideas,  and  not  particularize. 

10.  ^^  And  he  carried  me  aw^ay  in  the  spirit  to 
a  great  and  high  mountain,  and  shewed  me  that 
great  city,  the  holy  Jerusalem,  descending  out 
of  heaven  from  God." 

John's  bodily  senses  were  now  locked  up  from 
the  world,   under  the   influence   of    the    Holy 


198  THE    EEVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

Spirit,  and  in  liis  mind  lie  was  carried  to  a  great 
and  high  mountain,  and  he  saw,  with  the  eyes 
of  his  mind,  the  holy  Jerusalem  descending  out 
of  heaven  from  God,  as  bestowed  on  man 
through  the  atonement  of  Christ. 

11.  ^* Having  the  glory  of  God;  and  her 
light  was  like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  even 
like  a  jasper  stone,  clear  as  crystal." 

The  glory  of  God  illuminated  the  JSTew  Jeru- 
salem, and  was  like  a  jasper,  clear  as  crystal ; 
hence  the  qualities  of  one  gem  are  not  sufficient 
to  emblematize  the  excellencies  of  heavenly 
things. 

12.  ^'^  And  had  a  wall  great  and  high,  and  had 
twelve  gates,  and  at  the  gates  twelve  angels,  and 
natoies  written  thereon,  which  are  the  names  of 
the  twelve  tribes  of  the  children  of  Israel. " 

The  twelve  gates  of  the  wall,  kept  by  twelve 
angels,  and  on  the  gates  the  names  of  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel  written,  all  denote  the  Church 
of  Christ,  under  the  Old  Testament  dispensation 
emanating  from  the  twelve  patriarchs. 

13.  ^^On  the  east,  three  gates,  and  on  the 
north,  three  gates;  on  the  south,  three  gates, 
and  on  the  west,  three  gates." 


THE    REVELATION    OP    ST.  JOHN.  199 

The  twelve  gates,  equally  distributed  on  the 
four  sides  of  the  city,  denote  the  perfect  sym- 
metry of  everything  in  heaven. 

14.  ^'And  the  wall  of  the  city  had  twelve 
foundations,  and  in  them  the  names  of  the 
twelve  apostles  of  the  Lamb." 

The  twelve  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the 
city,  corresponding  to  the  twelve  apostles  of  the 
Lamb,  Christ,  denote  that  the  doctrines  of 
Christ  alone  lead  into  this  city. 

15.  "And  he  that  talked  with  me  had  a 
golden  reed  to  measure  the  city  and  the  gates 
thereof,  and  the  wall  thereof." 

The  angel  brought  a  golden  reed  to  measure 
the  city,  gates  and  wall,  shewing  that  everything 
in  heaven  is  adapted  to  every  other  thing  in  that 
holy  place. 

16.  "And  the  city  lieth  four  square,  and  the 
length  is  as  large  as  the  breadth :  and  he  meas- 
ured the  city  with  the  reed,  twelve  thousand 
furlongs.  The  length,  and  the  breadth,  and  the 
height  of  it  are  equal." 

The  four  square  and  cubical  form  of  the  city 
deno'e  the   supernatural  and  exquisite  perfec- 


200  THE    REVELATION    OF  ST.   JOHX. 

tions  of  ever}i:liing  in  the  mansions  of  rest.  The 
twelve  thousand  furlongs  are  fifteen  hundred 
miles;  if  the  length,  breadth  and  height  be 
multiplied  together,  the  contents  will  appear 
amazing.  As  to  the  city  being  as  high  as  it  is 
long  or  wide,  remember  it  is  only  a  faint  em- 
blem of  things  which  we  have  not  yet  seen. 

17.  ^'And  he  measured  the  wall  thereof,  an 
hundred  and  forty  and  four  cubits,  according  to 
the  measure  of  a  man,  that  is,  of  the  angel." 

The  angel  measured  (perhaps  the  thickness 
of)  the  wall,  one  hundred  and  forty  and  four 
cubits,  i.  e.,  a  hundred  and  forty-four  times  the 
distance  from  the  elbow  (of  the  angel)  to  the 
end  of  the  longest  finger,  like  men  measured  in 
ancient  times. 

18.  "And  the  building  of  the  wall  of  it  was 
of  jasper  :  and  the  city  was  pure  gold,  like  unto 
clear  glass." 

The  wall  was  made  of  jasper,  a  gem  which  ad- 
mits of  a  high  polish.  The  city  being  of  pure 
gold,  like  unto  clear  glass,  intimates  that  no 
mineral  on  earth  is  fine  enough  by  itself  to  be 
an  emblem  of  heaven;  also,  in  heaven  our 
knowledge  and  communion  will  be  clear  and 
pure,  suited  to  the  place. 


THE    FvEVELATION  OF    ST.  JOHN.  201 

19.  "And  the  foundations  of  the  wall  of  the 
city  "were  garnished  with  all  manner  of  precious 
stones.  The  first  foundation  was  jasper;  the 
second  sapphire;  the  third,  a  chalcedony;  the 
fourth  an  emerald ; 

20.  "The  fifth,  sardonyx;  the  sixth,  sardius; 
the  seyenth,  chrysolite;  the  eighth,  beryl;  the 
ninth,  a  topaz ;  the  tenth,  a  chrysoprasus ;  the 
eleventh,  a  jacinth;  the  twelfth,  an  amethyst." 

The  foundations  of  the  wall,  garnished  with 
twelve  of  the  most  beautiful,  precious  and  valu- 
able gems,  are  a  nice  emblem  of  the  doctrines 
of  Christ,  taught  by  the  twelve  apostles,  which 
doctrines  lead  all  the  followers  of  Christ  to  the 
place  which  he  has  prepared  for  them. 

21.  "And  the  twelve  gates  were  twelve  pearls ; 
every  several  gate  was  of  one  pearl,  and  the 
street  of  the  city  was  of  pure  gold,  as  it  were 
transparent  glass." 

The  twelve  gates,  each  of  the  same  kind  of 
pearl,  may  denote  that  the  same  doctrines  of 
Christ  leads  every  one  into  that  holy  place,  who- 
ever goes  there ;  as  the  Saviour  chose  twelve 
apostles,  at  the  beginning  of  his  ministry,  to 
plant  the  New  Testament  dispensation  of  his 
Church. 


203  THE    EEVELATIOJ^-    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

22.  "And  I  saw  no  temple  therein:  for  the 
Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  are  the  tem- 
ple of  it." 

The  apostle  saw  no  temple  in  the  New  Jeru- 
salem, for  the  temple,  with  all  its  services,  was 
a  type  of  Christ  with  his  mediation;  hence, 
when  all  the  redeemed  get  to  heaven,  they  will 
enjoy  Christ  in  his  glorified  state,  and  have  no 
more  use  for  the  type.  In  the  Saviour's  glorified 
human  nature  dwells  all  the  fullness  of  the  God- 
head bodily ;  and  his  followers  will  enjoy  it  to 
the  full,  without  any  type  or  medium  of  any 
kind  between  them. 

23.  "  And  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun, 
neither  of  the  moon,  to  shine  in  it  :  for  the 
glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the 
light  thereof." 

The  New  Jerusalem  has  neither  snn,  nor  moon, 
in  it ;  because  glorified  saints  enjoy  the  light  of 
the  immediate  presence  of  God  and  the  Lamb, 
who  creates  the  sun  and  moon  to  give  us  light  in 
this  distant  world ;  while  we  are  in  the  flesh. 
Our  Saviour's  glorified  human  nature  will  always 
remain  as  the  connecting  link  between  the 
redeemed  and  Deity. 


THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  203 

24.  "And  the  nations  of  tliem  which  are 
sayed  shall  walk  in  the  light  of  it  ;  and  the 
kings  of  the  earth  do  bring  their  glory  and 
honor  into  it." 

The  nations,  or  hosts  that  are  saved,  shall 
walk  or  live  in  the  light  of  God's  presence  ;  and 
as  holiness  of  heart  is  the  true  honor  and  glory 
of  kings,  such  of  them  as  are  saved  will  bring 
that  into  the  New  Jerusalem  with  them. 

25.  '"  And  the  gates  of  it  shall  not  be  shut  at 
all  by  day  :  for  there  shall  be  no  night  there." 

As  the  New  Jerusalem  will  enjoy  one  eternal 
day,  there  will  be  no  need  of  shutting  the  gates. 

26.  ''And  they  shall  bring  the  glory  and 
honor  of  the  nations  into  it." 

Piety  is  the  real  glory  and  honor  of  the  na- 
tions, and  the  saved  will  carry  it  to  the  New 
Jerusalem  with  them. 

27.  ''And  there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it, 
anything  that  defileth,  neither  whatsoever  work- 
eth  abomination,  or  maketh  a  lie ;  but  they 
which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life." 

All  the  righteous  have  their  names  written  in 
the  Lamb's  book  of  life,  they  shall  enter  the  New 


204  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN. 

Jerusalem  ;  but  all  the  ungodly  of  every  descrip- 
tion shall  be  shut  out. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

1.  ''And  he  showed  me  a  pure  river  of  water 
of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the 
throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb." 

A  pure  river  of  the  water  of  life,  clear  as  crys- 
tal, denotes  the  life  giving  power,  the  consol- 
ing, sustaining  and  enlightening  influence  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  who  proceeds  from  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  or  God  and  the  Lamb  ;  John  14  :  16, 
18.  This  endless  outgoing  of  life  and  suste- 
nance, from  God,  to  all  his  creatures,  is  essential 
to  their  preservation  and  happiness. 

2.  ''In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  it,  and  on 
either  side  of  the  river,  was  there  the  tree  of  life, 
which  bore  twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded 
her  fruit  every  month  ;  and  the  leaves  of  the 
tree  were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations." 

In  the  midst  of  the  street  of  the  New  Jerusa- 
lem, and  on  each  side  of  the  river,  there  were 


THE    REYELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHN.  205 

many  trees  of  a  kind  called  the  Tree  of  Life,  which 
was  an  emblem  of  the  seed  of  life,  or  heaven 
sealed  to  its  inhabitants ;  without  any  more  pro- 
bation, or  temptation,  these  trees  bore  twelve 
manner  of  fruits,  intimating  that  the  doctrines 
of  the  twelve  apostles  suited  all  the  necessities  of 
the  redeemed  to  bring  them  into  this  holy  place  ; 
yielding  fruit  every  month,  denotes  an  incessant 
supply  for  all  use.  '^  The  leaves  for  the  healing 
of  the  nations,"  denote  the  forestalling  of  any 
and  all  evil.  The  tree  of  life  in  Paradise  on 
earth,  sealed  life  and  happiness  to  Adam  and 
Eve,  while  they  were  faithful  to  their  Maker, 
in  their  state  of  trial  or  probation,  as  to  their 
fidelity  to  God's  commands ;  but  when  they  vio- 
lated the  covenant  of  works,  they  forfeited  their 
privileges  of  the  tree  of  life  and  were  prohibited 
from  it.  But  in  heaven  there  will  be  no  tempter, 
nor  test  of  obedience. 

3.  "^  And  there  shall  be  no  more  curse,  but 
the  throne  of  God  and  of  the  Lamb  shall  be  in 
it;  and  his  servants  shall  serve  him." 

There  will  be  no  more  curse  in  heaven,  because 
there  will  be  no  more  sin.  But  God  and  the 
Lamb,  as  one  Deity,  shall  reign,  and  saints  and 
holy  angels,  shall  serve  him. 


206  THE    RETELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOHX. 

There  may  be  a  jjeriod  in  eternity,  wlien  we 
will  know  infinitely  more  about  the  Trinity 
than  we  do  in  this  world. 

4.  ^^And  they  shall  see  his  face,  and  his  name 
shall  be  in  their  foreheads." 

Saints  shall  enjoy  the  presence  of  God  in 
heaven,  and  be  as  well  known  as  his,  as  if  they 
were  labeled  in  the  forehead. 

5.  *'And  there  shall  be  no  night  there,  and 
they  need  no  candle,  neither  light  of  the  sun ; 
for  the  Lord  God  givetli  them  light,  and  they 
shall  reign  forever  and  ever." 

There  shall  be  no  night  there,  in  heaven  ;  for 
God's  presence  makes  eternal  day,  and  saints  and 
angels  need  no  rest,  nor  sleep  ;  neither  will  there 
be  a  candle,  or  light  of  the  sun ;  for  these  would 
be  as  unnecessary  there  as  stars  here  in  day  time, 
and  the  redeemed  shall  reign,  as  kings  in  the 
universal  empire  of  Jehovah  for  ever  and  ever. 

6.  "And  he  said  unto  me,  these  sayings  are 
faithful  and  true.  And  the  Lord  God  of  the 
holy  prophets,  sent  his  angel  to  shew  unto  his 
servants  the  things  which  must  shortly  be  done." 

And  he  (the  angel)  said  unto  me  (the  apostle), 
these  sayings  (the  x\pocalypse)  are  faithful  and 


TFIE    REYELATIOX    OF    ST.    JOHN.  207 

true,  although  they  far  exceed  the  conception 
of  man.  ^'And  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy- 
prophets,  sent  (me)  his  angel  to  shew  unto  his 
servants  the  things  which  must  shortly  (com- 
paring time  with  eternity)  be  done;  even  the 
execution  of  the  Apocalypse. 

7.  '^  Behold,  I  come  quickly :  blessed  is  he  that 
keepeth  the  sayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book." 

Behold,  I  (the  Saviour)  come  quickly  to  ac- 
complish all  that  is  said  in  Eevelations  ;  blessed 
is  he  that  keepeth  the  sayings  of  the  prophecy 
of  this  book  ;  in  his  faith  and  practice  through 
life,  in  this  present  world. 

8.  ^^x\nd  I  John  saw  these  things,  and  heard 
them.  And  when  I  had  heard  and  seen,  I  fell 
down  to  worshi|)  before  the  feet  of  the  angel 
which  shewed  me  these  things. 

9.  "  Then  saitli  he  unto  me,  see  thou  do  it 
not ;  for  I  am  thy  fellow-servant,  and  of  thy 
brethren  the  prophets  and  of  them  which  keep 
the  sa3dngs  of  this  book ;  worship  God. " 

John  attests  that  he  saw  and  heard  these 
things  ;  and  was  so  overcome  by  the  glorious 
appearance  of  the  revealing  angel,  that  he  mis- 


208  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.    JOHN. 

took  liim  for  the  Saviour  ;  and  fell  down  to  wor- 
ship him,  the  angel  immediately  corrected  his 
mistake,  and  bid  him  worship  God.  If  the 
worshijDping  of  any  being  in  the  universe,  except 
God,  was  lawful  and  right,  John  would  have 
been  indulged  in  this  mistake.  When  the  con- 
clave of  cardinals,  elect  and  install  a  new  Pope, 
their  adage  is  quern  (whom)  crevant  (they  create) 
adorant  (they  adore).  This  book  is  mainly 
leveled  at  papal  idolatries  and  other  enormities, 
peculiar  to  the  papacy.. 

10.  ^^And  he  saith  unto  me,  seal  not  the  say- 
ings of  the  prophecy  of  this  book  ;  for  the  time 
is  at  hand." 

The  angel  bid  John  not  seal  the  prophecy  of 
this  book ;  hence  it  must  be  published  for  the 
good  of  mankind,  for  the  time  is  at  hand,  when 
its  contents  will  be  fulfilled. 

11.  ^^He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust 
still,  and  he  which  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy 
still ;  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  be  right- 
eous still ;  and  he  that  is  hol}^,  let  him  be  holy 
still." 

This  verse  most  pointedly  teaches,  that  at 
death  our  state  is  fixed  forever  ;  the  righteous. 


THE    EEVELATIOX    OF    ST.  JOIIX.  209 

remain  so  to  infinity,  and  the  wicked  remain  so 
to  infinity,  and  there  is  not  the  least  hint,  in  the 
whole  revelation  of  a  middle-place,  or  purga- 
tory;  i.e.,  a  place  of  purification  ;  the  word  is 
deriyed  tvompurgOj  to  purify. 

12.  '*And  behold,  I  come  quickly  ;  and  my 
reward  is  with  me,  to  give  every  man  according 
as  his  work  shall  be." 

Our  Saviour  warns  us  that  he  comes  quickly, 
to  make  an  end  of  all  things  here,  and  settle  the 
destiny  of  all  people  hereafter  ;  and  his  reward, 
for  both  good  and  bad,  is  with  him,  to  give  hap- 
piness or  misery  to  each,  according  to  his  works, 
as  the  eifect  of  his  faith.  The  faith  and  the 
works  will  be  of  the  same  character  ;  like  the 
fountain  and  the  stream  will  be  the  same  kind  of 
water. 

13.  ^^  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning 
and  the  end,  the  first  and  the  last." 

Our  Saviour  again  calls  himself  Alpha  and 
Omega,  the  first  and  last  letters  of  the  Greek 
alphabet,  intimating  his  eternal  self-existence. 

14.  ''  Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  comfnand- 
ments,  that  they  may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life, 
and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates  into  the  city." 


210  THE    EEYELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN'. 

Those  who  love  Christ,  keep  his  (Command- 
ments; and  by  virtue  of  an  interest  in  his  atone- 
ment, have  a  right  to  the  tree  of  life  and  an 
entrance  into  the  city  of  New  Jerusalem. 

15.  "  For  without  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and 
whoremongers,  and  murderers,  and  idolaters, 
and  whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie. " 

Outside  of  the  holy  city  in  the  skies,  is  every 
character  and  grade  of  ungodly  human  beings. 

16.  "I,  Jesus,  have  sent  mine  angel  to  testify 
unto  you  these  things  in  the  churches.  I  am  the 
root  and  the  offspring  of  David,  and  the  bright 
and  morning  star." 

The  Saviour  here  speaks,  and  says  that  he  used 
the  ministry  of  an  angel,  to  reveal  this  book  to 
the  churches,  by  his  servant  John;  and  that  He, 
as  to  His  divine  nature,  is  the  root  or  Creator  of 
David,  while,  as  to  his  human  nature.  He  is  the 
offspring  of  David,  born  unto  the  world,  in 
David's  genealogy ;  and  also  the  bright  and  morn- 
ing star  in  traducing  the  day  of  grace,  and  the 
eternal  day  of  glory;  like  the  morning  star  ushers 
in  the  natural  day  in  the  world. 

17.  '^^  And  the  spirit  and  the  bride  say,  come. 
And  let  him  that  heareth  say,  come.     And  let 


THE   EEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHN.  211 

him  that  athirst  come.     And  whosoever  will,  let 
him  take  the  water  of  life  freely." 

The  spirit  and  the  bride,  or  Church  say,  to  all 
the  impenitent,  "  Come  to  Christ,"  by  faith  and 
obedience.  And  the  Saviour  says,  '^  Let  him  that 
heareth,  with  his  understanding  and  conscience, 
say  to  all  mankind.  Come  to  Christ  for  salva- 
tion. "  And  let  him  that  is  athirst,  for  salvation. 
Come  to  Christ."  And  whosoever  will,  or  is 
willing  to  comply  with  the  requisitions  of  the 
Gospel,  take  the  water  of  life,  salvation,  freely. 
None  stay  away  only  at  their  own  option,  and 
their  own  risk,  and  purely  on  their  own  respon- 
sibility. 

18.  19.  "For  I  testify  unto  every  man  that 
heareth  the  words  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book, 
If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things,  God 
shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are  written 
in  this  book. 

"And  if  any  one  shall  take  away  from  the 
words  of  the  book  of  this  prophecy,  God  shall 
take  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life,  and  out  of 
the  holy  city,  and  from  the  things  which  are 
written  in  this  book." 

Our  Saviour  here  fences  this  book,  with  the 
most  awful  penalty,  against  any  heaven  daring 


212  THE    REVELATION    OF    ST.   JOHN. 

wretch,  wlio  steals  anything  out  of  it,  or  forges 
anything  into  it.  The  framers  of  the  Dowy 
Bible,  stole  the  second  commandment  out  of  it, 
and  divided  the  tenth  into  two,  to  keep  up  the 
number.  And  the  framers  of  the  Eemes  Testa- 
ment stole  repentance  out  of  it,  and  forged  pen- 
ance in  place  of  it.  But  the  above  verse  tells 
the  future  destiny  of  all  who  dare  to  add  to,  or 
subtract  from  the  word  of  God. 

20.  *^He  which  testifieth  these  things  saith, 
surely  I  come  quickly:  Amen.  Even  so  come, 
Lord  Jesus." 

He,  the  Saviour,  who  testifies  these  things  in 
this  revelation,  saith  surely  I,  as  the  Mediator 
now,  and  the  Judge  at  the  last  day,  come 
quickly,  to  dispose  of  all  things  here  below. 
And  the  apostle,  as  the  speaker  for  himself  and 
the  churches,  added:  Amen,  even  so,  come 
Lord  Jesus,  and  do  as  you  have  said. 

21.  '^  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be 
with  you  all.  Amen." 

John  closes  with  the  apostolic  benediction,  as 
usual.  If  any  person  desires  supernatural  evi- 
dence of  the  truth  of  the  Bible,  let  him  look 


THE    EEVELATION    OF    ST.  JOHJT.  213 

at  the  vast  hosts  of  prophesies  in  it  fulfilled 
and  fulfilling,  and  to  be  fulfilled,  and  he  will 
liaA'e  better  j)roof  of  the  truth  of  the  christian 
religion  than  the  raising  of  a  corpse  to  life 
would  be. 


INDEX. 


THE  SEVEN  SEALS.' 


1.  Chapter  vi :  1.    Revivals. 

2.  Chapter  vi :  3.  War. 

3.  Chapter  vi :  5.    Famine.  " 

4.  Chapter  vi:  7.  Pestilence.  .        " 

5.  Chapter  vi  :  9.  Martyrs'  cry  to  God    " 

6.  Chapter  vi :  12.  Heathen  Imperial 

Rome  falls.  ** 

7.  Chapter  viii :  1.  The  Seven  Trum- 

pets introduced.  ** 

"THE   SEVEN  TRUMPETS.' 

1.  Chapter  viii:  7.  Alaric     with    the 

Goths  invade  the  Roman  Empire  " 

2.  Chapter  viii:  8.  Attila     with     the 

Huns. 

3.  Chapter  viii:  10.  Genseric  with  the 

Vandals  and    Moors.  '* 

4.  Chapter  viii :  12.     Imperial    Rome 

falls  entirely.  " 

5.  Chapter  ix :  1.     Mohammed     rises 

with  the   Saracens,  and  their  " 
conquests    continue  until  *' 


Extend  to  A.  D. 


100 
138 
193 
270 
304 

324 

395 


410 

450 

456 

566 

606 
1381 


216  IKDEX. 

6.  Chapter  ix  :  13.  TurkisliMoliamme- 

dans    take   Constantinople,   etc. 

Continue  their  conquests  to  A.  D.   1672 

7.  Chapter  xi :  15.    Sounded    somewhere  between  1672 

and  1685,  and  glances  at  great  events  until  the 
millennium  and  the  end  of  time.  And  the  seven 
vials  point  out  seven  particular  trains  of  events 
under  it. 

"THE   SEVEN    YIALS." 

1.  Chapter  xvi:  2.  Popery  loses  territory  by  the  Refor- 

mation ;  during  the  16th  and  part  of  the  17th  centu- 
ries. 

2.  Chapter  xvi:   3.    Popery  loses  by   wars,  during  the 

latter  part  of  the  17th  and  first  part  of  the  18th 
centuries. 

3.  Chapter  xvi :  4.  Popery  loses  revenue  and  influence 

and  blood,  during  the  latter  part  of  the  18th,  and 
former  part  of  the  19th  centuries. 

4.  Chapter  xvi :  8.  The  Popish  sun  eclipsed  or  shamed, 

during  tlie  last  two-thirds  of  the  first  half  of  the 
19th  century. 

5.  Chapter  xvi :  10.  Popery  loses  Rome  and   the   Papal 

States  during  the  last  half  of  the  19tli  century. 

6.  Chapter  xvi :  12.  Popery  invades  the  Jews,  returned 

to  their  own  land,  during  the  first  half  of  the  20th 
century  ;  the  Romish  powers  having  seduced  the 
Mohammedans  and  Kings  of  the  East  to  join  them 
in  the  invasion. 

7.  Chapter  xvi :  17.  The  last  remains  of  false  religions 

exterminated  and  the  millennium  introduced,  dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  the  20th  century. 


IITDEX.  217 

THE  LITTLE  BOOK   OPENED. 

Chapter  x :  2.  The  slaying  of  the  two  witnesses, 
xi :  7,  means  the  slaughter  of  the  Huguenots  in 
France,  A.  D.  1572. 

The  reaping  of  the  harvest,  Chapter  xiv  :  15,  and  the 
vintage,  xiv :  18.  These  denote  two  dreadful 
attempts  of  the  combined  Roman  Catholic  powers 
to  regain  Rome  and  the  Papal  States  ;  these  may 
be  expected  now  at  any  time. 


DATE  DUE 

;• 

f        "7)^ 

V                      J 

DEMCO  38-297 

//^ 


